Qualifying

Max Verstappen takes pole at Marina Bay after completing far fewer laps than his rivals, beating Leclerc by 0.054s and Hamilton by 0.123s. Hamilton topped Q1 and Q2 but did not improve in Q3, leaving a pole-worthy ideal lap unrealised. Ferrari are quickest through the corners but lose heavily on the straights, while Mercedes' upgrades still look difficult to set up.

Kimi Antonelli claims a superb pole at a Spa-Francorchamps transformed by the 2026 power unit rules, edging out Verstappen and Russell as the grid grapples with brutal energy clipping through Kemmel and the run to Eau Rouge, while a yellow-flag mix-up in the pit lane briefly derails Hadjar and Leclerc.

Kimi Antonelli takes a sensational Monaco pole after Mercedes unlock a major front-end step, Ferrari collapse under the thermal trap, and Leclerc leaves precious time on the table despite lurking with real pace.

Mercedes still lock out the front row in Montreal, but the gap to the field is shrinking. Russell delivers a championship-level pole after a messy Q3, Antonelli keeps closing in, McLaren suddenly becomes dangerous, Ferrari split between perfection and chaos, and Verstappen continues to fight a Red Bull that loses speed as qualifying progresses.

Mercedes dominates Melbourne qualifying with "super clipping" energy efficiency while McLaren struggles with customer PU limitations. Ferrari masks competitive chassis with energy starvation on straights. Red Bull-Ford impresses in debut, proving Honda legacy lives on. Drivers voice concerns as lifting on straights becomes necessary—is this F1 anymore?