Russell Takes Pole for 2026 Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton Second, Antonelli Third
George Russell secured pole position for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix, edging out Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and teammate Kimi Antonelli in a scorching Barcelona qualifying session.
- 1:14.679
- 10
- 150
What Happened
In a challenging qualifying session at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit, George Russell set the fastest time of 1:14.679 minutes to claim pole position for Sunday's Grand Prix. The session was marked by track temperatures exceeding 50°C and a demanding asphalt mix. Despite a red flag in Q3, both Mercedes drivers advanced with only one tire set in Q1 and Q2. Russell's teammate Kimi Antonelli qualified third, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton splitting the Mercedes pair in second.
1:14.679minutes
Set by George Russell in Q3 under extreme heat.
- George Russell's 10th career pole position
- Mercedes' 150th pole position in Formula 1
- Russell's 100th Grand Prix with the team
“I've made a complete restart this weekend and we've been in the top two in every session. I'm very happy because I've been through a tough period recently. Hopefully today shows what I'm capable of.”
Why this matters
Russell's pole marks his 10th career pole and Mercedes' 150th in Formula 1, demonstrating the team's strong form after recent struggles, while high tire degradation promises a strategic race.
Terms in This Story
- Pole position
- The first starting grid spot, awarded to the driver with the fastest qualifying lap.
- Qualifying
- The session that determines starting positions for the race, divided into three segments (Q1, Q2, Q3).
- Tire degradation
- The loss of performance over time as tires wear, especially important in hot conditions.
- Red flag
- A signal that stops the session due to a hazard or incident.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.