FIA confirms 2025 F1 Spanish Grand Prix Starting penalties after A....read more.

FIA confirms 2025 F1 Spanish Grand Prix Starting penalties after A….read more.

The official starting grid for the 2025 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix has been confirmed, following the application of grid penalties that reshuffled the lineup ahead of Sunday’s race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Championship leader Max Verstappen originally qualified on pole, but a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change has dropped the Red Bull driver to sixth. This promotes Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to pole position, marking his second pole of the season and a major boost for the Scuderia’s home weekend after weeks of intense development work on their car.

Mercedes’ George Russell will now start from the front row alongside Leclerc, while McLaren’s Lando Norris lines up third. Carlos Sainz, racing in front of his home crowd, will start fourth, followed by Oscar Piastri in fifth.

Further down the grid, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso also received a three-place penalty for impeding during qualifying, pushing him from 10th to 13th. His teammate Lance Stroll gains a position and starts 11th.

The penalties have added intrigue to what was already expected to be a highly competitive race. With overtaking notoriously difficult on this circuit, strategic calls and tire management will be more important than ever.

All eyes will be on how Verstappen and Alonso recover through the field, and whether Leclerc can convert his inherited pole into a much-needed victory for Ferrari.

Lights out is set for 3:00 PM local time on Sunday.