FACTS AND STATS: A first front row lock-out in Spain for McLaren since 1998 as Piastri grabs biggest pole margin of the season

Oscar Piastri secured his fourth pole position of the year at the Spanish Grand Prix, impressively out-qualifying his McLaren teammate Lando Norris by just over two-tenths of a second. This significant achievement marks McLaren's first front-row lockout in Spain since 1998, when Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard achieved the feat. Piastri's consistent performance this season is highlighted by out-qualifying Norris in five of nine race weekends, surpassing his total from last season. This 0.209s margin was also the largest pole margin recorded this year. While McLaren’s lockout is a strong indicator of their race potential – 31 of 34 previous winners at this circuit have started from the front row – the race promises to be anything but straightforward. Max Verstappen starts an unusual third, his first time off the front row here since 2020. George Russell, starting fourth, notably took the lead from this very position last season, adding another layer of intrigue. Other notable qualifying results include Lewis Hamilton in P5, equaling his highest start for Ferrari, and Kimi Antonelli's impressive P6, his best since Miami. The session also saw a rare Q1 elimination for Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda finishing last, underscoring the unpredictable nature of F1 qualifying.