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McLaren's Lando Norris stunned the field with a breathtaking final lap to snatch pole position from Max Verstappen at the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday. The Briton's blistering time of 1:18.750 denied Verstappen by a mere two hundredths of a second, marking Norris' second career pole.Verstappen, the reigning world champion, had appeared poised to start from the front of the grid for the fourth consecutive race. However, Norris' late surge shattered his hopes, leaving the Red Bull driver to settle for second.Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will start on the second row for Mercedes, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will occupy fifth place.Norris, who claimed his maiden Grand Prix victory in Miami earlier this season, expressed his delight at securing pole. "Today was the perfect lap," he said. "Max seemed a bit stronger, but we made some changes. I'm super happy to be on pole, it's going to be tough but we're here to win!"Verstappen, who holds a commanding 56-point lead in the championship standings, acknowledged Norris' impressive performance. "Lando did a great lap," he said. "We were very close, but he deserved it today."The Spanish Grand Prix marks the 10th round of the 24-race season and the first of a triple header, with races in Austria and Silverstone scheduled over the next two weekends. Verstappen, who won his maiden Grand Prix in Barcelona in 2016, will be aiming to extend his winning streak at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.Norris' pole position is a significant boost for McLaren, who have struggled for consistency this season. The team will be hoping to capitalize on their strong qualifying performance and challenge for a podium finish on Sunday.

Max Verstappen's dominance continued at the Canadian Grand Prix as he secured his third consecutive victory, extending his lead in the drivers' championship. After a challenging start to the season, Verstappen bounced back with a commanding performance, aided by strategic calls from his team.Starting second on the grid, Verstappen faced a competitive field, including pole-sitter George Russell of Mercedes. However, the race was far from straightforward, with two Safety Car interventions adding to the drama. Verstappen capitalized on these interruptions, making timely pit stops and managing the gaps effectively.Despite a suspension issue, Verstappen remained unfazed, showcasing his resilience and determination. He crossed the finish line 3.879 seconds ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren, who had a strong race and secured his second podium of the season.Mercedes' Russell finished third, ahead of a frustrated Lewis Hamilton, who was unable to match his teammate's pace. The race also saw the retirement of both Ferraris, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz failing to finish.Verstappen's victory marked his 60th career win and lifted him to 194 points in the drivers' championship, 56 points clear of Leclerc. Red Bull also extended their lead in the constructors' race, moving to 301 points ahead of Ferrari.Norris, who finished second, praised the chaotic and eventful race, while Russell expressed disappointment with his performance. The race also featured a strong showing from McLaren, with Oscar Piastri finishing fifth and bringing the team their first points in Canada since 2014.

Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula One world champion, will seek redemption at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend after suffering two defeats in the season's opening six races. The Red Bull driver will face stiff competition from McLaren's Lando Norris, who will be armed with upgrades after his maiden triumph in Miami.Most teams will introduce revised cars for the seventh race of the season, with Ferrari and Mercedes hoping to close the gap on Verstappen. The race will also serve as a poignant tribute to the victims of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, where Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna were killed.Verstappen, who leads the championship with 136 points, will aim to repeat Red Bull's success at Imola in 2022, where he led a one-two finish with Sergio Perez. The race was canceled last year due to flooding, but it is expected to launch a busy period of six races in eight weeks."Imola is an iconic track to race at," said Verstappen. "We have had some great team results here, and it's always interesting to race at a really old-school track like this."Red Bull may face challenges from rival teams, including Mercedes, who have introduced a major upgrade package. However, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff cautioned that his team is not yet ready to threaten the leaders."We're a quarter of the way through the season," said Wolff. "The first six races have not been straightforward for us, but we do have a clear understanding of where we need to improve."For Lewis Hamilton, this weekend will mark his first racing appearance in Italy since Ferrari announced his signing for 2025. The seven-time world champion, who grew up admiring Senna and Ferrari, is expected to experience an emotional weekend.Sebastian Vettel, another veteran driver, will pay tribute to Senna by driving his 1993 McLaren MP4/8 car at the track on Sunday morning. "Ayrton Senna was not only a driver who I valued highly for being one of the best racing has ever seen, but also a man of great compassion," said Vettel.

McLaren's Lando Norris has finally achieved his long-awaited maiden Formula One victory in a thrilling Miami Grand Prix. The 23-year-old Briton, in his 110th race for the team, stunned reigning world champion Max Verstappen and the rest of the field to claim the top step of the podium.Norris's victory was a testament to his patience and strategic brilliance. Starting from fifth on the grid, he bided his time behind Verstappen and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. When Verstappen pitted on lap 24, Norris seized the opportunity to take the lead.Crucially, Norris was able to pit during a safety car period on lap 30, giving him a significant time advantage. He never relinquished the lead, despite Verstappen's relentless pursuit.Verstappen, who had won four of the opening five races of the season, was left to rue his lack of pace on hard tires. He finished over seven seconds behind Norris, marking the first time he has been beaten on track since last September's Singapore Grand Prix.Ferrari's Charles Leclerc completed the podium, while Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez finished fourth and fifth respectively. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished sixth and eighth, while Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri took seventh.Norris's victory was a major upset and a welcome breath of fresh air in a season that had threatened to become a one-man show for Verstappen. It was also a vindication for McLaren, who have struggled for pace in recent years."I knew on Friday that we had the pace," said Norris. "Today we managed to put it together. We had the perfect strategy, it all paid off."Verstappen was gracious in defeat, acknowledging Norris's deserved victory. "They just had more pace, Lando was flying," said the Dutchman. "I'm very happy for Lando, it's been a long time coming and it's not going to be his last one."

Max Verstappen's dominance continued unabated as he claimed a resounding victory in the Chinese Grand Prix, extending his lead in the world championship standings. The Red Bull driver controlled the race from start to finish, finishing 13.7 seconds ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris.Verstappen's victory was his fourth in five races this season, adding to his sprint victory on Saturday. Only a rare brake failure in Melbourne denied him a clean sweep of all five races in 2024.The Dutchman was in imperious form throughout the weekend, setting the pace in practice and qualifying. He made a clean start from pole position and never looked back, controlling the race with ease.McLaren's Norris put in a strong performance to finish second, ahead of Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished fourth and fifth, respectively.George Russell was sixth for Mercedes, with Fernando Alonso seventh after a late charge through the field. McLaren's Oscar Piastri was eighth, chased home by Lewis Hamilton who clawed his way up to ninth from 18th on the grid.The points scorers were rounded out by the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg in 10th.Verstappen's victory was a testament to his and Red Bull's dominance in Formula One. The Dutchman is now 46 points clear of Leclerc in the championship standings, with Perez a further 19 points behind.

In a thrilling qualifying session marred by treacherous wet conditions, McLaren's Lando Norris defied the odds to snatch pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, denying Lewis Hamilton a potential front-row start.Norris's daring lap of 1min 57.940sec on intermediate wet tires initially appeared to be disqualified for exceeding track limits. However, a dramatic reinstatement a minute later sent shockwaves through the paddock.Fernando Alonso, showcasing his experience and guile, secured third place in his Aston Martin, while championship leader Max Verstappen settled for fourth.Norris, who claimed his second career sprint pole, admitted to the risks involved in his all-or-nothing approach. "It was tricky, you are always nervous going into a session like this," he said. "You just have to risk a lot, push and build tire temperature."Verstappen, whose final lap was deleted after a trip across the gravel, expressed his frustration with the wet conditions. "It was just like driving on ice," he said. "That is why also I think we deserved to be where we are in qualifying, it isn't really working for me in the wet but it is not where we are in the dry."Hamilton, who has endured a disappointing start to the 2024 season, expressed his delight at the prospect of starting from the front row. "So happy, as soon as I saw the rain coming I was getting excited," he said. "In dry conditions we're not quick enough."Alonso echoed Hamilton's sentiments, acknowledging the benefits of the late rain. "We were not super competitive on the dry," he said. "In the wet it was difficult to judge the level of grip and risk we wanted to apply but in the end I am happy."Sainz, who finished fifth, attributed his struggles to the difficulty in warming up his intermediate tires. "We didn't manage to switch on the tyres so we couldn't push," said the Spaniard.Hometown hero Zhou Guanyu made history by qualifying for the third qualifying session, earning a 10th-place start for Sauber in the sprint race. The 24-year-old Chinese driver received a thunderous ovation from the crowd at the Shanghai International Circuit.Verstappen, who has won three out of four grands prix this season, remains the favorite for the sprint race. However, the unpredictable conditions and the presence of Alonso, Hamilton, and Norris on the front row set the stage for an intriguing battle.