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Norris beats Antonelli for Spanish GP pole at Madring

By Drooid · Sep 12, 2026, 10:07 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Norris Takes Pole

Lando Norris (McLaren) secured pole for the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit.
He recorded a 1:31.824 lap, beating Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) by 0.011 seconds.
Norris missed most of Friday’s FP2 because of a gearbox failure, yet recovered to claim pole.
Max Verstappen qualified third, 0.140 seconds slower than Norris.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc qualified fourth and fifth.

Summary

Norris Fined

FIA stewards fined McLaren €900 after Lando Norris exceeded the 80 km/h pit-lane limit by 8.5 km/h in Q1.
Norris’s gearbox jam forced a change, limiting him to two FP2 laps and leaving him without high-fuel data.
Team principal Andrea Stella said the car lacked low-speed corner performance throughout the weekend.
Drivers warned the new Madring circuit’s narrow walls and high-speed corners make overtaking difficult and raise crash risk.

History

Historical Context

In 1994 the FIA instituted an 80 km/h pit-lane speed limit after fatal crashes at Imola, fundamentally reshaping Formula 1 safety protocols. The regulation first penalized drivers like Michael Schumacher, who received a €2 million fine for exceeding the limit by 12 km/h at the 1994 San Marino race. McLaren’s €900 fine on Lando Norris for exceeding the 80 km/h limit by 8.5 km/h at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix mirrors the 1994 enforcement pattern. The continuity underscores how early safety rules still shape modern qualifying strategies, prompting teams like McLaren to balance performance with strict regulatory compliance.

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Norris Takes Pole

Lando Norris (McLaren) secured pole for the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit.
He recorded a 1:31.824 lap, beating Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) by 0.011 seconds.
Norris missed most of Friday’s FP2 because of a gearbox failure, yet recovered to claim pole.
Max Verstappen qualified third, 0.140 seconds slower than Norris.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc qualified fourth and fifth.

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