Saturday evening beneath the lights on the Lusail Worldwide Circuit supplied maybe essentially the most crucial qualifying session of the 2024 System 1 season. With McLaren inching nearer to clinching the 2024 Constructors’ Championship, and each Ferrari and Crimson Bull hoping to remain alive in that battle, each place on the grid issues.
George Russell threw down the early benchmark early in Q3, placing his W15 on provisional pole by over three-tenths over Charles Leclerc. McLaren’s Lando Norris pulled out of his first push lap after a snap at Flip 4 noticed his MCL38 veer off the racing line. He additionally bailed out of his second try at a push lap, after a gradual first sector had him trailing the trouble from Russell. That left Norris with one shot at snatching pole place.
Norris fell brief, however Max Verstappen didn’t, securing his first pole place for the reason that Austrian Grand Prix again in July, 12 races in the past.
Verstappen denied Russell his second-straight pole place, because the Mercedes driver began up entrance on the Las Vegas Grand Prix. However Russell will begin alongside Verstappen on the entrance row Sunday.
McLaren, who inched nearer to clinching the Constructors’ Championship with a one-two end from Oscar Piastri and Norris within the F1 Dash Race earlier within the day, locked out the second row with Norris qualifying third, and Piastri fourth.
“Not the place we had been hoping for after yesterday after which at the moment, however the most we might do for positive,” mentioned Norris trackside to Jolyon Palmer after qualifying.
Nonetheless, with the McLaren duo beginning forward of the Ferraris, McLaren is in good condition heading into the primary occasion on Sunday. However Norris admitted that the sector is extremely tight. “Not quite a bit in it between all of us which supplies us hope that we will nonetheless go ahead, however there are some actually fast automobiles behind on the similar time.”
“These have been three actually nice races for us,” mentioned Russell to Palmer after qualifying. “It’s good to be within the combine on the entrance as soon as once more.”
However the story was Verstappen, who delivered a surprising turnaround after ending eighth within the F1 Dash Race earlier within the night, the place he began sixth.
“Loopy,” mentioned Verstappen when requested concerning the turnaround by Palmer. “I additionally didn’t anticipate that, however properly executed to the group, to present me a automobile that feels properly linked.
“We did change a bit on the automobile, however I by no means thought it will make such a swing in efficiency,” added Verstappen. “Very completely happy to be on pole, it’s been some time.”
Verstappen outlined that Sunday’s primary occasion can be “robust” on the groups and drivers.
“It’s gonna be a tricky race I feel bodily, however I feel additionally primarily on the tires. Ensuring that you just’re good on them, the entrance left round right here will get eaten up quite a bit, so it’s all about managing that tomorrow,” added Verstappen.
Pierre Gasly’s super run of qualifying since the USA Grand Prix ended on the Lusail Worldwide Circuit, because the Alpine driver narrowly missed out on advancing to Q3 by simply 0.012 and is slated to begin the Qatar Grand Prix in P11. The opposite 4 drivers eradicated in Q2 had been the Sauber pair of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, Yuki Tsunoda, and Lance Stroll.`
Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, Liam Lawson, and the Williams pair of Franco Colapinto and Alexander Albon had been the 5 drivers eradicated in Q1.
Listed here are the total qualifying outcomes from the Qatar Grand Prix:
