F1 starting grid: Russell on pole as Barcelona GP grid order forms

George Russell held off a late charge from Lewis Hamilton to take pole position on the F1 starting grid for the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix.

Russell had been on form throughout the practice sessions, and with the Mercedes driver having gone three tenths clear of the pack on the final flying laps, Hamilton had been even faster through the first two sectors, but ended the lap just six hundredths of a second behind his former teammate.

George Russell back on pole for Barcelona GP

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Russell admitted after the session that he feels “back in my groove” after several difficult weekends, and was able to make the most of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on a hot day in the Basque region.

He’ll be joined on the front row by Hamilton in what is his first top-two start for Ferrari in a grand prix, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli and reigning champion Lando Norris set to form the second row.

It’ll be an all-Red Bull third row of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, with Liam Lawson set to form up behind his fellow Antipodean in Oscar Piastri on fourth row.

Nico Hulkenberg lines up ninth, but a Q3 crash for Charles Leclerc left the Ferrari driver berating himself after the session, prompting an early red flag that meant he could not complete a flying lap in the final part of qualifying.

More from the Barcelona GP

George Russell ends Kimi Antonelli’s pole streak with Barcelona P1

F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying records between teammates

Arvid Lindblad narrowly missed out on another Q3 appearance for Racing Bulls, with Gabriel Bortoleto starting behind him in 12th.

Having been on the podium with Pierre Gasly last weekend, Alpine’s drivers have looked further off the pace this time around as he and Franco Colapinto line up 13th and 14th.

Oliver Bearman heads Carlos Sainz on the eighth row, with Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon 17th and 18th in a Haas-Williams-Haas-Williams combination.

At the back of the grid, both Cadillac drivers jumped ahead of the Aston Martins as Sergio Perez took 19th and Valtteri Bottas 20th, while on the back row, Lance Stroll outqualified Fernando Alonso for the first time since the 2024 British Grand Prix, as the two Astons line up 21st and 22nd.

F1 starting grid: 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix

1 – George Russell Mercedes
2 – Lewis Hamilton Ferrari
3 – Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
4 – Lando Norris McLaren
5 – Max Verstappen Red Bull
6 – Isack Hadjar Red Bull
7 – Oscar Piastri McLaren
8 – Liam Lawson Racing Bulls
9 – Nico Hulkenberg Audi
10 – Charles Leclerc Ferrari
11 – Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls
12 – Gabriel Bortoleto Audi
13 – Franco Colapinto Alpine
14 – Pierre Gasly Alpine
15 – Ollie Bearman Haas
16 – Carlos Sainz Williams
17 – Esteban Ocon Haas
18 – Alex Albon Williams
19 – Sergio Perez Cadillac
20 – Valtteri Bottas Cadillac
21 – Lance Stroll Aston Martin
22 – Fernando Alonso Aston Martin

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