Oscar Piastri secured a notable third place in qualifying for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, marking a significant improvement for McLaren after a weekend where their pace in practice sessions had not suggested such a strong performance. This result highlighted McLaren’s ability to find extra speed when it matters most in qualifying.
Both McLaren drivers initially locked out the front row early in the final qualifying segment, with Piastri’s best lap narrowly missing second place by just 0.001 seconds to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Meanwhile, Lando Norris qualified fifth after a lock-up on his final lap prevented him from securing a higher position. George Russell of Mercedes took pole position, with Leclerc second and Piastri completing the top three on the grid.
Piastri reflected on the weekend’s pace, noting that McLaren often appears off the pace during practice but manages to extract more performance in qualifying. His previous experiences at the Baku circuit include a win in 2024 and a crash in 2025 that impacted his championship hopes. Despite the strong qualifying result, he remained cautiously optimistic about the race, pointing out that McLaren’s race pace during practice looked better than their single-lap speed suggested.
Lando Norris acknowledged that unresolved car issues limited his lap times in qualifying and expects a challenging race as a result. His lock-up on the final lap was a clear factor in missing out on a better starting position. Meanwhile, the front row was completed by George Russell, who secured pole position for Mercedes, underlining the competitive nature of the session among the top teams.
The qualifying session in Baku underlined McLaren’s pattern of showing a stronger qualifying pace compared to practice sessions, a trend that has been evident in previous events. Piastri’s performance, in particular, demonstrated the team’s potential to challenge the leading pack, even if race conditions and car issues remain factors to consider.
Overall, the session provided a clearer picture of McLaren’s current capabilities, with Piastri’s third place offering encouragement while Norris’s difficulties highlighted ongoing challenges. The comments and results from qualifying reflect a weekend where McLaren managed to boost their pace at a crucial moment, setting up an intriguing scenario for the race ahead.