Piastri demolishes Norris' best effort ahead of the deflated RB21 of Verstappen

Most teams waited in the pits for a third of the session, with a handful of drivers heading out to do some reconnaissance laps, and Aston Martin to do their rutinary scrubbing of their tyres for the race.

In the first round of push laps in Q1 it was Oscar Piastri who led the session, with Max Verstappen placing P2, ahead of Norris in P3, effectively splitting the McLarens. George Russell and Charles Leclerc completing the top 5. For Lewis Hamilton it was P8, behind Fernando Alonso in P7, with Yuki Tsunoda way down in P19.

Norris went early for his second push lap, as Franco Colapinto reported issues with his car in the pitlane backing up the whole grid. As soon as the message went out to the drivers, they all went around him and took to the track.

Esteban Ocon bumped Carlos Sainz down to the elimination zone, but the Frenchman was in turn eliminated by teammate Oliver Bearman. And Yuki Tsunoda failed to improve and placed P20.

As the middle part of the session got underway and the drivers went out on thir first flying laps it was the ever familiar face at the top of Piastri, who lead Norris and Verstappen.

Behind them, Russell produced another solid qualifying lap which brought him ahead of Hamilton, Leclerc and Alonso, with Antonelli down in P9.

In their second runs it was mainly the midfield teams trying to make their way into Q3, with Isack Hadjar placing in an impressive P6, as his teammate Liam Lawson was eliminated after coming P13.

As the top contenders took the track it was Norris leading Piastri, Russell, Verstappen and Hamilton in the top 5. But as Leclerc finished his lap he took over P4 from the Dutchman. However, Alonso pipped Verstappen and placed himself in P5 with a magnificent lap. For Leclerc it was day over, as the Monegasque exited his car, presumably judging there wasn't anymore in his SF-25.

Gasly went up to P5 with Hadjar in P6, as Norris was defeated by Piastri at the line by two tenths.