Spanish disaster in qualifying for the Spanish GP in Madring

Spanish disaster on the first Saturday of Madring. Carlos Sainz Jr. and Fernando Alonso failed to pass Q1 of Qualifying and this Sunday they will start from 17th and 18th position on the grid. Painful positions for the thousands of fans who have packed, and will pack tomorrow, the stands of the Spanish GP. The 'pole' went to the McLaren of Lando Norris, who overtook the favorite Kimi Antonelli with a 'flip'. The Briton will start first thanks to the 1:31.824 he set at the decisive moment, eleven thousandths better than the Italian, leader of the World Championship. Third was Verstappen, with the Ferraris of Hamilton and Leclerc behind in a very close Q3: only five tenths separated the top eight. Away, Sainz and Alonso.

And the Spaniards had not found sensations on the Madrid track since Friday. During the three free practice sessions they were at the bottom of the standings and when the moment of truth arrived there was no miracle. Neither Williams nor Aston Martin have found the key to a circuit that rewards engines, a pending issue for both teams, which lose all their options in the first sector of Madring. From there, it's all uphill.

The Aston Martin chassis improves performance in the second and third parts of the circuit, but not enough to cut time from its biggest rivals, so both Sainz and Alonso saw how the Alpine, the Racing Bulls and the Audi were better than them. And we're not even talking about the favorites: Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull, all occupying the top eight positions. Sainz with 1:35.307 and Alonso with 1:35.388, in the same tenth as Albon, 16th, but seven tenths behind the next, Ocon. Too far away to dream of something in the Grand Prix at home.

Sainz, Alonso, Pérez, Bottas, Bearman and Stroll, the latter two without setting a time, were left at the first opportunity, and in Q2 they were accompanied by Albon (16th), Tsunoda (15th), Gasly (14th), Ocon (13th), Bortoleto (12th) and Hulkenberg (11th).