Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) will lead Sunday’s Formula One Spanish Grand Prix after setting the best qualifying time at the Montmeló circuit on Saturday.

The provisional world championship leader has claimed his fifth of seven possible poles of the season and will start ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Ferrari). The second row goes to surprise Brit Lando Norris (McLaren) and French Pierre Gasly (Alpine), who could however be penalized for having handicapped other competitors in those qualifiers.

“The car was very good. Of course, the weather was a bit tense. But in the third quarter the car was very comfortable to drive. I love coming to Barcelona, ​​on the track, the crowd, I really love Formula 1 here and I hope to add another win to my collection,” said the reigning double world champion on the Canal+ microphone.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) was fifth on the grid ahead of Canadian Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), who outperformed his teammate Fernando Alonso in qualifying for the first time this season. Alonso set just the ninth fastest time after damaging his car when he went off the track in Q2.

Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine), who finished an excellent third place in Monaco last weekend, will start in seventh place, ahead of Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), while Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren) will complete the top 10.

Held on a slippery track early in the session, these qualifiers were marked by some big upsets.

First it was Monegasque Charles Leclerc, who retired in Q1 and will only start in 19th and penultimate place. Then Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Mexican Sergio Pérez, made a mistake and went for a lap in the gravel trap; He retires at the end of Q2 and starts 11th ahead of Britain’s George Russell, who also disappointed in the other Mercedes.