3.
16:49
Mercedes brings the final point
Mercedes, on the other hand, is waiting a long time. Kimi Antonelli leaves as the second to last driver, Russell as the last driver. So it remains exciting until the end of the first run.
2.
16:48
Verstappen gets going
Max Verstappen is the first driver to take to the track in Q3. McLaren also sends the vehicles out of the garage quickly.
1.
16:48
Q3 started
We continue with Q3. Can George Russell put his Mercedes on pole and live up to his role as favorite?
15.
16:41
Q2 finished
Q2 is over and in the end Nico Hülkenberg’s lap was actually enough for the first Q3 participation this year. Lindblad, Bortoleto, Colapinto, Gasly, Bearman and Sainz were eliminated.
15.
4:40 p.m
Is that enough for Hülkenberg?
Nico Hülkenberg improves to tenth place, but is that enough for Q3 in the end? A few drivers are still on their last lap.
14.
16:39
McLaren pushes forward
Norris and Piastri can improve again with fresh tires and should actually be safe in fourth and seventh place under normal circumstances. The buffer for eleventh place is a good one second.
11.
4:35 p.m
McLaren out again
McLaren doesn’t stay in the pits for long. Norris and Piastri open the second runs in Q2. They are followed by Carlos Sainz in the Williams, who, however, has little chance of progressing. He is two seconds shy of tenth place.
10.
16:33
Who’s in trouble?
There are just under five minutes left on the clock. In addition to the two Audi drivers, the two Alpine drivers as well as Bearman and Sainz are currently outside.
8.
16:32
Mercedes
New best time from George Russell in Q2
This time too, it doesn’t take long before Verstappen’s time is beaten again and he falls behind. George Russell takes first place, just ahead of Leclerc and Antonelli. Hamilton follows in fourth place ahead of Verstappen. McLaren is also having a hard time in the first run. However, Norris and Piastri were on used tires.
6.
16:31
Red Bull
Verstappen delivers the first serious time
Max Verstappen provides the first time to consider. He was able to achieve 1:15.484 minutes. Isack Hadjar is second. Nico Hülkenberg’s first lap was canceled after he ignored track limits.
3.
16:27
First run on used softs
Nico Hülkenberg is one of the first drivers to take to the track in Q2. He is doing his first run on used softs after completing a second run in Q1 to make sure Q2 is enough.
1.
4:25 p.m
Q2 started
It continues with Q2. You now have 15 minutes to make it into the top ten. Nobody goes directly onto the track.
18.
16:19
Q1 finished
Time is up in Q1. Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso are eliminated. Nico Hülkenberg advances to fifth place. Hamilton set the fastest time in Q1.
16.
16:16
Top eleven remains in the box
A good half of the field decided against a second run. The top eleven remains in the box. Can anyone improve beyond the top 16?
14.
16:14
The last minutes
The last four minutes have begun. Pérez, Ocon, Bottas, Albon, Alonso and Stroll are currently in the Q1 drop zone. Nico Hülkenberg, who is currently in twelfth place, will also be on the track again.
12.
16:12
Aston Martin knocked out
At Aston Martin, almost nothing works together in Barcelona either. Alonso and Stroll find themselves at the bottom of the time list by a large margin. Even the newcomer Cadillac is missing more than a second.
10.
4:10 p.m
Warning for Hamilton
A little later, however, there was a warning for Hamilton. He is said to have driven unnecessarily slowly. The McLaren is now in fifth and sixth place.
10.
4:10 p.m
Ferrari
New best time for Lewis Hamilton in Q1
Can Ferrari also play a role today? Lewis Hamilton at least gives hope. With a top lap he can narrowly edge past Russell.
9.
16:09
Mercedes
New best time from George Russell in Q1
But Verstappen cannot stay in front for long. Driver after driver passes him. The new leader is now George Russell, who is considered the big favorite for pole.
8.
16:08
Red Bull
Max Verstappen’s new best time in Q1
Max Verstappen sets a new best time in Q1. He sets a time of 1:16.352. Nico Hülkenberg moves into second place with a quick last sector behind him.
5.
16:04
The top teams begin qualifying
Now the top teams start their session. Nico Hülkenberg and Audi also decide to start Q1 later.
3.
16:03
Williams
The first lap times in Q1
The first lap times in Q1 have now been set. Carlos Sainz leads with 1:18.107 minutes, just ahead of Esteban Ocon, who is one of those on Medium.
2.
16:01
Top drivers are waiting
While the drivers for whom things could get tight are already on the track, the top teams are still waiting. You should only decide to try it once, but it will have to be successful.
1.
4:00 p.m
Start qualifying
The traffic lights are green and qualifying has started in Barcelona. The first cars are already on the track. Due to the high temperatures and rapid tire degradation, some people try the medium first.
15:54
The track conditions
The track temperature has risen to 51 degrees Celsius in the past few hours. This means that the fight for the pole remains a real heated battle. The air temperature is 32 degrees.
3:47 p.m
The route
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been an integral part of the Formula 1 calendar since 1991 and has been considered one of the most important reference tracks for teams and drivers for decades. From 2027, however, the traditional circuit will lose its permanent place and will in future rotate with Spa-Francorchamps. Barcelona continues to enjoy a special reputation in terms of sport. The track is considered one of the best all-round tests for a Formula 1 car as it combines fast corners, slower sections and longer straights. That’s exactly why the official winter tests took place here for many years: Anyone who looked good on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya could usually also be competitive on many other tracks.
3:42 p.m
Is it enough for the Q3?
Last weekend in Monaco, Audi had a great chance of making it into the top ten in qualifying. Despite good conditions and a competitive car, it wasn’t enough in the end. The Audi also made a strong impression in the training sessions in Barcelona: in the final training session, Nico Hülkenberg took ninth place and Gabriel Bortoleto came eleventh. The toughest competition for Audi in Spain is likely to come from the camps of Alpine and the Racing Bulls.
3:37 p.m
Tires big sticking point
One of the biggest sticking points in qualifying is likely to be the tires. According to what we know so far, the softs can only last for a fast lap given the high track temperatures in Barcelona. This also puts the top teams under pressure: Anyone who doesn’t complete their lap optimally or gets stuck in traffic runs the risk of being eliminated early.
3:32 p.m
Will Russell succeed in breaking free?
The last few weeks have by no means been easy for George Russell; the Mercedes driver could achieve a great breakthrough in Barcelona. Russell was already strong on Friday and followed that up in final training on Saturday. With a time of 1:15.679 minutes, he was two tenths of a second ahead of the competition. Second was Oscar Piastri in the McLaren ahead of Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari and Lando Norris. Kimi Antonelli, for his part, got stuck in traffic on the fast lap.
3:25 p.m
Welcome!
Qualifying is now on the program for Formula 1 in Barcelona. Q1 starts at 4:00 p.m.