Qualifying — Report

Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli could seal the title as early as Sunday. Although that was not expected heading into the weekend, another superb performance from the Italian youngster and another botched effort from George Russell have increased the chances of the championship being settled.

Antonelli saw off the Red Bulls and Ferraris in impressive fashion. The red team in particular disappointed on Saturday. After excellent free practice sessions, their drivers once again failed to deliver on their promise, losing huge amounts of time on the straights, and will start fourth and fifth behind Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.

No surprises in Q1

As we have become accustomed to this year, Q1 was a routine affair for the frontrunners. All progressed comfortably, with the Mercedes drivers and Oscar Piastri even doing so on medium tyres.

There were no surprises at the back either. Both Williams drivers underlined the team’s declining form, missing the cut by five and seven tenths of a second respectively and beating only the Cadillac drivers. The exits of Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll came as no surprise either.

By contrast, Ollie Bearman and Fernando Alonso deserve credit for their performances, progressing where their team-mates could not.

Ferrari’s position shaken in Q2

As in Q1, the frontrunners needed to make sure of a comfortable passage through Q2. Ferrari, however, initially failed to live up to their billing as favourites. After the first runs, the SF-26 trailed the Red Bulls, Mercedes cars and even one McLaren. Both drivers needed to fit fresh tyres (having used scrubbed sets on their first runs) and return to the track.

Although they made it through, with Leclerc even setting the fastest time on fresh tyres, Max Verstappen progressed comfortably with just one run on used softs. That significantly reshaped expectations ahead of Q3.

At this stage, however, the priority was still to reach the top ten. Gasly, Hülkenberg, Bortoleto, Colapinto, Alonso and Bearman missed out. Both Racing Bulls drivers, meanwhile, progressed to Q3.

Antonelli steps up in Q3

Ferrari had cause for soul-searching after Q3 as well. Nobody could understand it, but the drivers in red came nowhere near pole position. Instead, championship leader Kimi Antonelli rose to the occasion when it mattered, making the fewest mistakes and securing pole position for Sunday’s race.

The Italian put the Red Bulls and Ferraris in their place and all but humiliated team-mate George Russell, who will start only sixth. Kimi really could therefore celebrate the title this weekend.

The Red Bull drivers will line up behind Antonelli. Max Verstappen was unhappy with his Q3, but Isack Hadjar was pleased with third after a difficult weekend. Charles Leclerc will start fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth. Things had looked very promising for Ferrari this weekend, but the team once again failed to meet expectations and will face difficult questions. It must be said, however, that taking pole position with this engine would have been a minor miracle for Ferrari. The telemetry also shows that Leclerc and Hamilton were losing huge amounts of time on the straights.

Leclerc and Hamilton can still feel better than George Russell, who faces a bitter pill to swallow after another heavy defeat. Lando Norris also beat George, but his time was ultimately deleted for exceeding track limits. Piastri will therefore start seventh, with Lando eighth.

Lindblad and Lawson rounded out the top ten. The former, however, will receive a penalty, while the latter did not take to the track at all in Q3, as he had nothing to gain.

Sunday’s race starts at 21:00.