After a swift turnaround it was time for Qualifying proper.  Albon managed a little drama in the first session, getting lap times deleted and going on parts of the track he shouldn't.  In the end he knocked Hamilton out of running.  Gasly took his Alpine from the back of the grid in Sprint Qualifying to fifth.  Russell, Norris, Piastri and Verstappen.  Out went Tsunoda (another one who did well the day before), Ocon, Hamilton (bored of this now), Stroll and Colapinto.  The best Crofty fact of the year was also enthusiastically delivered: Stroll has the most Q1 exits of the season.

In Q2, the championship leader Norris put himself under pressure by not setting any early times as he went off the track.  He was out first for his final hot laps but the track was getting better all the time and Piastri had broken the Q2 lap record.  Piastri was strongest in this round, ahead of Norris and Verstappen.  The big shock of the session was Albon's exit in 15th, ahead of him but not going through was Hulkenberg, Lawson, Bearman and Bortoleto, all drivers he should have beat.

We went into the final session and LeClerc had a big but safe spin, completing a few turns and missing any obstacles.  Albon was released by Williams with a plastic sticker wrapped around his tyre.  He would be investigated for an unsafe release and the session had to be Red Flagged for it to be cleared up.

It wasn't long after the cars went out again that the end of the session came about.  Norris had held pole but this attempt was messy and nothing came of it.  Piastri took pole from him.  They lined up behind his thus: Norris (who was already ready to be interviewed as Piastri came in), Verstappen, Russell, Antonelli, Hadjar, Sainz, Alonso, Gasly and LeClerc.

If Piastri makes a good start in the Race then the win should be his.  Verstappen will be very punchy and Norris will have to watch out for him.  Verstappen could be Piastri's biggest ally.