Mercedes reasserted their dominance in Grand Prix qualifying, with Antonelli taking pole and the Silver Arrows looking every bit as strong as they had before the Sprint. Verstappen put in a solid and impressively quick lap to line up second, while Leclerc grabbed third to give Ferrari something to build on ahead of the race. Read on below for the full Qualifying report.
Q1 Report:
Mercedes came out swinging in Q1, with Antonelli quickly establishing himself at the top of the order and making it clear that the Sprint result was no indication of where the Silver Arrows truly stood. At the other end of the field, it was a familiar story for Aston Martin and Cadillac, both outfits struggling to threaten the drop zone at any point during the session. Perez and Bottas failed to find the pace to advance for Cadillac, while neither Stroll nor Alonso could do enough to stay in the fight. The drivers eliminated were Albon, Lindblad, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas, and Perez.
Q2 Report:
Antonelli kept the momentum going in the second segment, with Mercedes looking composed and in control as the session played out. Verstappen was sharp throughout, putting Red Bull firmly in contention for a strong grid slot heading into the final shootout. It wasn’t a great session for some of the midfielders though, as Bearman and Sainz were among the more notable names to fall short, unable to find the extra tenth or two needed to break into the top ten. The drivers who failed to advance were Hulkenberg, Lawson, Bearman, Sainz, Ocon, and Albon.
Q3 Report:
Antonelli delivered when it mattered most, taking pole position and firmly reminding the paddock who had been setting the standard all season. After Norris had grabbed the headlines in Sprint Qualifying, Mercedes made sure there was no repeat in the main event. Verstappen was a strong second, with Leclerc completing the top three and giving Ferrari genuine optimism about their race pace. Norris had to settle for fourth, which was a significant contrast to his Sprint pole, with Russell fifth and Hamilton sixth. Piastri slotted into seventh, with Colapinto, Hadjar, and Gasly filling out the remainder of the top ten.
