On a circuit where McLaren's domination was expected, Lando Norris did not disappoint. This Friday, the Englishman took a solid pole position for Saturday's sprint race in 1'21''012. Small surprise, on the gong, George Russell (Mercedes), on the momentum of his victory in Las Vegas, stole second place (+ 0''063) on the grid from the other McLaren of Oscar Piastri (3rd, + 0''159). The Ferraris, who are 25 points behind in the constructors' championship, were rather on the defensive but managed, in the last seconds, to place themselves in the wake of their opponents, Carlos Sainz (4th, + 0''269) ahead of Charles Leclerc (5th, + 0''296).