Lando Norris of McLaren will start Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix on pole position but Anthony Davidson does not think he is the driver ‘to beat’ in a ‘fair’ and ‘clean’ race.
The 24-year-old secured pole position for only the second time in his Formula 1 career after topping the timesheet at the Russian GP back in 2021. Norris eclipsed Max Verstappen by a mere 0.020 seconds to deny the Red Bull star his eighth P1 start through the first 10 rounds.
Norris is also now the fourth different driver to get a pole position in the last four races alone. The McLaren star followed Verstappen’s pole at the Emilia Romagna GP, plus Charles Leclerc at the Monaco GP and George Russell at the Canadian GP. Just Russell did not convert pole.
Anthony Davidson thinks Max Verstappen is the ‘one to beat’ in a ‘fair’ Spanish GP
Russell could only finish the Canadian GP on the podium behind Verstappen and Norris. But the 26-year-old will now look to add to his first rostrum of the year the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Lewis Hamilton will lead Mercedes off the second row of the grid with P3 and P4.
With three Britons qualifying within the top four for the Spanish GP this Sunday, Davidson is confident that British success is possible, too. But he doubts either will actually win the race if it is ‘fair’ and ‘clean’ as Verstappen and Red Bull have a clear advantage against their rivals.
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Davidson believes Verstappen is ‘still’ the driver to beat from P2 on the grid as Red Bull have the best tyre degradation. He expects the 26-year-old will be able to bide his time and beat Norris, Russell and Hamilton if the Spanish GP stays dry with rain potentially on the forecast.
“A really high chance, definitely,” Davidson told Sky Sports F1 (22/6, 17:52). “I still think Red Bull with Max there will have the best [tyre] degradation throughout the stint and the race if it’s dry. I think a fair race that’s clean, I think Max will still be the one to beat.”
Rain is on the race day forecast for the Spanish GP… but not for the race
Rain was a possible threat for qualifying and the morning of the Spanish GP heading into the weekend. But while the threat of rain did not materialise this Saturday, the weather forecast for race day offers a 90% probability of precipitation, plus an 18% chance of thunderstorms.
The forecast for the Spanish GP even predicts a rain shower can hit Montmelo at 13:00 local time. But the race begins at 15:00 local time, when the chance of rain is only 34% and at its lowest point all afternoon. So, Norris, Russell and Hamilton may need to join in a rain dance.
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