RACE DEBRIEF

    Max Verstappen’s pole position may have been something of a foregone conclusion, but that didn’t stop qualifying in Spain throwing up some major surprises – Charles Leclerc out in Q1 for Ferrari, and then Verstappen’s Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez and Mercedes’ George Russell missing the Q3 cut.

    It means we find local hero Carlos Sainz on the front row for Ferrari, just ahead of his former McLaren team mate Lando Norris and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton. Pierre Gasly had qualified a spectacular fourth for Alpine, but starts 10th thanks to two three-place penalties for impeding.

    READ MORE: Verstappen storms to Spanish GP pole ahead of Sainz and Norris after Leclerc drops out in Q1

    And at other end of the field, Ferrari and Williams have chosen to start Leclerc and Logan Sargeant from the pit lane, both having made car modifications whilst under Parc Ferme conditions.

    FORMULA 1 AWS GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2023

    Spain 2023

    Starting Grid

    POSITION TIME
    1 Max Verstappen VER Red Bull Racing 1:12.272
    2 Carlos Sainz SAI Ferrari 1:12.734
    3 Lando Norris NOR McLaren 1:12.792
    4 Lewis Hamilton HAM Mercedes 1:12.818
    5 Lance Stroll STR Aston Martin 1:12.994
    6 Esteban Ocon OCO Alpine 1:13.083
    7 Nico Hulkenberg HUL Haas F1 Team 1:13.229
    8 Fernando Alonso ALO Aston Martin 1:13.507
    9 Oscar Piastri PIA McLaren 1:13.682
    10 Pierre Gasly GAS Alpine 1:12.816

    The 2023 Spanish Grand Prix starts at 1500 local time. Be sure to join our live coverage from 1400 here.