Norris edges Antonelli to secure pole position in 1st Spanish GP in Madrid in 45 years

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Norris edges Antonelli to secure pole position in 1st Spanish GP in Madrid in 45 years

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McLaren driver Lando Norris secured pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid on Saturday, edging out Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli by just one hundredth of a second. Norris recorded a lap time of one minute 31.824 seconds during his final qualifying attempt at the newly introduced 5.4-kilometer Madring urban circuit. Antonelli had dominated preceding practice sessions at the tight, unforgiving street track and starts second alongside Norris on the grid. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen qualified in third position ahead of Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in fourth and fifth respectively. Hamilton recovered strongly following a crash during the final practice session earlier in the day. Mercedes driver George Russell qualified in sixth place overall. The qualifying session proceeded cleanly following two red flags during earlier practice. The race marks Formula 1's return to Madrid after a 45-year absence, with limited overtaking opportunities anticipated on race day.

Published 2026-09-12 16:09:11 UTC · Published by JQJO

Prepared by Noormahi M. · AI assisted

More context

Timeline

On March 15, 1981, Formula 1 last hosted a grand prix in Madrid.
On September 10, 2026, officials inspected the newly constructed Madring urban circuit layout.
On September 12, 2026, Lewis Hamilton crashed during final practice at the circuit.
On September 12, 2026, Lando Norris secured pole position during afternoon qualifying sessions.
On September 12, 2026, Kimi Antonelli secured second position during qualifying attempts.
On September 12, 2026, Max Verstappen qualified third for the upcoming grand prix.
On September 13, 2026, drivers will compete in the main grand prix event.
On September 13, 2026, race organizers expect packed grandstands at the urban circuit.
On September 14, 2026, championship points standings will update following the race conclusion.
On November 30 2026 In November 2026, the Formula 1 World Championship season will conclude.

Why it matters

Immediate US impact: US motorsport fans watch tactical grid positioning impact race strategy. Possible long-term US impact: Long term US viewership grows via new circuit venue additions. Most affected groups: Affected groups include motorsport fans, team engineers, and racing investors. Reader priority: Prioritize official race telemetry over unverified social media speculation.

Coverage notes

Left: Focuses on human drama and driver perspective changes during sessions. Center: Reports official qualifying times and grid positions without political bias. Right: Emphasizes competitive rivalry and national driver achievements.