Written by Meghana Sree
Lando Norris secured Sprint pole by just 0.063 seconds, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, positioning the Papaya team in a good spot compared to their Constructors’ rivals Ferrari, who line up P4 and P5 for the Saturday Sprint.
Lando Norris pips George Russell to pole by 0.063 seconds | Image Credit - Formula One
And just like that, we’ve reached the penultimate race weekend of 2024, marked by our final Sprint round this season. We return to the Middle East to race under the floodlights of the Lusail International Circuit, beginning with an eventful Free Practice that saw many drivers dipping their wheels into the gravel trap, particularly at Turn 15.
The lone practice session was topped by Charles Leclerc, followed by Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Carlos Sainz. All things considered, everything was perfectly poised for a McLaren vs Ferrari showdown heading into the Sprint Qualifying.
With the Drivers’ Championship wrapped up in Las Vegas, Max Verstappen claiming his fourth consecutive title, only the World Constructors’ remains undecided and by the looks of it, it’s set to go down to the wire all the way up and down the field, with the battle for P6 also heating up.
Sprint Q1 (SQ1) - Joys and sorrows for different drivers
A greenlight at the end of the pitlane saw cars make their way onto the track on the mandated medium tyres.
Haas’ Kevin Magnussen set the opening benchmark lap time of 1:23.750. FP1’s leader, Leclerc, responded with a 1:23.259, with Valtteri Bottas miraculously sliding into the top four with six minutes to go.
The McLarens, supported as the favourites coming into this weekend on the evidence of last year’s results and their car’s strengths in medium- and high-speed corners, quickly topped the times as Norris set a 1.22:785, just as George Russell joined his fellow Briton, showing that the Silver Arrows weren’t out of the fight just yet.
As the track rapidly started to evolve, becoming quicker with each run, Leclerc reclaimed the top spot.
The big driver at risk at this stage was Piastri, who was in P16, but the Papaya driver salvaged his Sprint qualifying by slotting in right between the Ferraris.
With two minutes to go, Norris and Russell found themselves in a dead heat, Leclerc a tenth behind them in P3.
As the chequered flag was waving, Nico Hülkenberg was stuck in P19 and was in dire need of a lap to progress to the next stage of qualifying. In the nick of time, he jumped up to eighth, momentarily knocking out Lawson, who then responded with a good lap to get him through, unlike his teammate Yuki Tsunoda who finished 17th.
A pleasant surprise was Bottas as he hauled the Sauber up to P7, reminiscent of their solid performance around this track last year. He will be hoping to stay on this form throughout the weekend, eager to secure their first ever points this season with only two rounds remaining.
With just a few seconds to go, the track was in a frenzy. It was traffic paradise, as Gasly expressed frustrations of being blocked by multiple cars and Leclerc and Pérez found themselves in a minor tussle with each other on track.
The big fall of SQ3 was Pérez, who was knocked out by Williams’ Alex Albon. Pérez’s disappointing run of qualifying continues yet again, and this performance will certainly not be doing him any favours of arguing a strong case for his future in Formula One.
Another exit in the first stage of qualifying for Sergio Pérez | Image Credit - Formula One
SQ1 Exits
Sergio Pérez
Yuki Tsunoda
Esteban Ocon
Zhou Guanyu
Franco Colapinto
Sprint Q2 (SQ2) - A second dead heat and pesky track limits
The first push laps were set by the two Ferraris and Verstappen, Leclerc maintaining his rapid pace with a purple first sector and setting a 1:22.130, still on the mandated mediums.
Both Haas drivers then set a couple of strong laps, but Magnussen’s time was then deleted, after he went over the track limits owing to a snap of oversteer at Turn 6.
Piastri then displaced Leclerc at the top, kicking up a bit of dust through the gravel but still managing to claim P1, but this was short lived as he too had his time deleted for track limits.
In a bizarre turn of events, there was yet another dead heat, the second in just the same session, with Verstappen matching Piastri’s time just before his lap time was scrapped.
At that point, the two Ferraris had just nine thousandths splitting them, more proof of just how tight the margins are this year.
Meanwhile over at Mercedes, their run plan of sending in their drivers just as the track was at its best seemed to be paying off, as Russell managed to clinch P2 again, behind Norris who had just set the fastest lap.
On the other side of Norris’ garage, Piastri was still in need of another swift lap, this time within the white lines. Fortunately for him and McLaren, he managed to do so, going over the finish line to claim third behind Russell.
Down in the elimination zone, Magnussen, Lawson, Albon, and Bottas were searching for improvements to clear SQ2.
Lawson managed to do so, going into eighth place, but unfortunately for Bottas, his brilliant qualifying run came to an end this session as he finished 13th, ahead of Lance Stroll and Magnussen.
It was a different result for the Alpine of Pierre Gasly, whose qualifying fortunes continued, as he knocked out Alonso, moving up right ahead of Lawson.
SQ2 Exits
Fernando Alonso
Alex Albon
Valtteri Bottas
Lance Stroll
Kevin Magnussen
Sprint Q3 (SQ3) - Securing championship-deciding positions
As the softs finally rolled onto the track for this session, it was truly fully open to anyone from the top constructors. Meanwhile, Gasly, Hülkenberg, and Lawson were focused on a fight of their own to help each of their efforts to claim P6 in the Constructors’ Championship.
Leclerc soon set the fastest first sector of the session thus far, yet was slipping and sliding all over the track and just about kept it all together to set a lap time of 1:21.705; which was then easily bested by Norris who executed a cleaner lap.
Ferrari began to lose momentum in SQ3 | Image Credit - Formula One
With under three minutes to go, McLaren had a 1-2 on track.
Hülkenberg, determined to be in the lead of the midfield teams, went out on a push lap, now with a minute to go, initially placing seventh, ahead of Gasly and Lawson. But as the seconds ticked down, Gasly placed himself ahead of the Haas driver, in P8, as Lawson finished P10.
Then, just as both McLarens set out on their second set of push laps, Piastri looked rapid, but was not able to best Norris’ previous time of 1:21.012. However, there was still more time to be found, and Russell nailed it as he managed to slide into P2 ahead of Piastri.
The Ferraris meanwhile had lost their momentum, with Leclerc struggling to improve and Sainz managing to finish only P4, behind Piastri. Hamilton too found it difficult to match Russell’s lap times, with his qualifying woes carrying on for yet another round.
Norris’ first push lap was good enough for pole, and the session concluded with an all-Mercedes-powered top three, and the Ferraris finishing P4 and P5.
Though not the ideal position for the Scuderia to occupy compared to their rivals, they will be eager to chase down the McLaren pair in order to maximise their points haul this round.
With the final Sprint Qualifying wrapped up and Norris securing another Sprint pole this year, all eyes will be on tomorrow’s Sprint Race to see who will gain the most points on rival teams across the standings.
Qatar Grand Prix Sprint Race Starting Grid - Sprint Qualifying Results
1 - Lando Norris, McLaren
2 - George Russell, Mercedes
3 - Oscar Piastri, McLaren
4 - Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari
5 - Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
6 - Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
7 - Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
8 - Pierre Gasly, Alpine
9 - Nico Hülkenberg, Haas
10 - Liam Lawson, VCARB
11 - Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
12 - Alex Albon, Williams
13 - Valtteri Bottas, Sauber
14 - Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
15 - Kevin Magnussen, Haas
16 - Sergio Pérez, Red Bull Racing
17 - Yuki Tsunoda, VCARB
18 - Esteban Ocon, Alpine
19 - Zhou Guanyu, Sauber
20 - Franco Colapinto, Williams
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