Piastri in pole position: who will stop him at the Spanish Grand Prix?

Piastri in pole position: who will stop him at the Spanish Grand Prix?

The ninth Grand Prix of the current Formula 1 season will take place on June 1, 2025 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Oscar Piastri currently leads the Drivers' World Championship with a total of 161 points, followed by his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who is just three points behind him. Max Verstappen from Red Bull Racing is also within striking distance with 136 points. The races so far have already offered exciting twists and turns and Piastri is showing impressive form with four wins this season.

In qualifying, Piastri was able to maintain pole position and achieved a time that was 0.209 seconds faster than his teammate Norris. Verstappen and George Russell shared third place with a time 0.302 seconds behind Piastri. McLaren's strong performance gives the team a clear advantage, particularly as new regulations on stiffer front wings have not had a negative impact on their pace, Russell said.

Qualifying results and lineups

The starting grid for the Spanish Grand Prix shows the strength of McLaren. While Piastri and Norris take the front row, Verstappen follows in third place. The other places are occupied by Mercedes driver George Russell, who starts fourth, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, who finishes fifth. Yuki Tsunoda will start the race from last position, marking his worst qualification of the season so far. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, starts in 18th place and has to be content with his worst result of the season.

Season course and rules

The 2025 season will bring some changes to Formula 1. The new regulations on the minimum weight of drivers have been tightened with an increase from 798 kg to 800 kg. At high temperatures it can even be increased up to 805 kg. The structure of the season has also changed: six sprints are planned for 2025, with some of the traditional circuits such as Miami and Spa once again in focus.

In addition, the FIA ​​decided on October 17, 2024 to abolish the bonus point for the fastest lap and to expand the mandatory young driver training courses for drivers to two. In terms of driver changes, Lewis Hamilton will move to Ferrari in 2025, while Carlos Sainz will move to Williams. Andrea Kimi Antonelli will make the debut of his career at Mercedes as Hamilton's successor.

With an exciting race in Barcelona ahead, it remains to be seen whether Piastri can defend his championship lead or whether Verstappen and Norris will challenge him. In a season that is already full of surprises, the eyes of Formula 1 fans are firmly focused on the results.