Q1

Heavy rain arrived just before qualifying, leaving the circuit extremely wet. The Aston Martin drivers immediately fitted full wet tyres, while most others began on intermediates. Lando Norris warned his team to keep an eye on Stroll and Alonso, as he believed the full wets might work better.

Within minutes, more drivers switched to the full wets and soon the entire grid was using them. Lap times were over 30 seconds slower than in dry conditions and visibility was very poor, causing several short yellow flag periods as drivers slid off the track. Several lap times were deleted for track limits, with Charles Leclerc struggling the most and still without a time with five minutes remaining.

In the final moments the track changed quickly, making it impossible to be sure of progression. Bearman touched the barrier but continued, while Alex Albon hit the wall and lost his right-front wheel yet managed to crawl back to the pits. The biggest surprise came when Lewis Hamilton was knocked out and will start last.

The drivers eliminated were Alex Albon, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Gabriel Bortoleto, Yuki Tsunoda and Lewis Hamilton.

Q2

The start of Q2 was delayed while a bollard was replaced at Turn 14 and debris was removed. Lando Norris waited at the end of the pit lane even before the session officially began, and Oliver Bearman was able to continue after needing only a new front wing following his Q1 incident.

All drivers stayed on full wets, as the track was still very wet and cold despite the rain stopping. Norris set the early time to beat before Verstappen went quicker. Lance Stroll then tried a bold switch to intermediates, becoming the first driver to gamble on the improving surface, but the risk failed and he dropped rapidly down the order. Turn 14 continued to catch out several drivers.

Carlos Sainz briefly went fastest, but George Russell finished the session on top with a time of 1:50.935.

The drivers eliminated in Q2 were Nico Hulkenberg, Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon, Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto.

Q3

All ten remaining drivers went out on intermediate tyres as the circuit finally began to improve. Charles Leclerc ran wide at Turn 14 and had to abandon his second attempt, while early laps saw Isack Hadjar and Sainz briefly lead the times before being overtaken by Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

With five minutes remaining Piastri held provisional pole, but Norris moved ahead shortly afterwards. Sainz then took first place, only for Max Verstappen to beat him by 0.039 seconds. In the final seconds however, Lando Norris delivered a superb lap of 1:47.934 to retake pole by 0.323 seconds over Verstappen. Leclerc’s spin at Turn 12 left him down in ninth place.

At the end of qualifying, Lando Norris secured pole position ahead of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz. George Russell took fourth, followed by Oscar Piastri in fifth, Liam Lawson in sixth, Fernando Alonso in seventh, Isack Hadjar in eighth, Charles Leclerc in ninth and Pierre Gasly completing the top ten.