Formula 1 | Norris takes F1 Sprint pole in Qatar ahead of Russell

After a single session dominated by Charles Leclerc in front of the McLaren F1 drivers, and under the setting sun of Losail, the Qatar Grand Prix resumes its rights with the Sprint Qualification, the first important session of the penultimate weekend of the season 2024.

This three-part session will be used to determine the starting grid for the Sprint, which will take place tomorrow, Saturday, to kick off the day. The main challenge will be to see where the Ferraris and McLarens will be, since the Sprint can offer up to 15 points for a team, while 24 units separate them.

It is also an opportunity to take a first look at the settings for the drivers and teams, and find out if the free practice session which opened the weekend was well taken advantage of. But it is also a discovery for everyone.

Indeed, while the first session was held at dusk, the Sprint qualifying is held at night, 30 minutes before the time at which the qualifying will be held tomorrow, but 1h30 after the time of the race on Sunday.

The three sessions, SQ1, SQ2 and SQ3, follow one another as in qualifying with 5 minutes of break between games. The first lasts 12 minutes, the second 10 minutes and the third 8 minutes. Medium tires are compulsory in SQ1 and SQ2, and soft tires are compulsory in SQ3.

SQ1 – 12 minutes – Pneus mediums

Charles Leclerc set a first benchmark in 1'23″259, and Max Verstappen was placed just behind, 0″032 behind the Ferrari. Valtteri Bottas placed third ahead of Carlos Sainz, while the Haas were placed just behind.

Pierre Gasly took the fifth time, and Lando Norris took the lead in 1'22″785. Oscar Piastri finished with only the sixth time. George Russell took the second time, 0″026 behind Norris, and Yuki Tsunoda placed seventh ahead of Piastri. Lewis Hamilton set the ninth fastest time.

Bottas moved up to fourth place by a tenth, Kevin Magnussen positioned himself in front of him, but Sainz took the lead in 1'22″261. Leclerc immediately beat him in 1'22″105 to take the best time. Liam Lawson came out a little wide but avoided the worst.

Verstappen moved back in front of Norris, and Gasly improved to sign a time of 1'22″586, synonymous with fourth place. Esteban Ocon moved up to tenth place, and Pérez took ninth place. Norris did better and took over the head in 1'22″021.

Piastri moved up to third, less than two tenths behind. Hamilton set the eighth fastest time, and Russell moved up to second place, tied with Norris! Tsunoda moved into the top 10, while Lawson had his time canceled.

Ocon moved up to ninth, and Hülkenberg, provisionally 19th, moved up to eighth place, just behind Magnussen. Norris improved to the lead in 1'21″356, and the Aston Martin drivers moved back into the top 10. Pérez did not improve! Bottas moved up to seventh, Verstappen fourth and Tsunoda only 17th!

Those eliminated were Pérez, Tsunoda, Ocon, Zhou and Colapinto.

SQ2 – 10 minutes – Pneus mediums

Disappointment for Pérez, disbelief for Tsunoda: emotions were intense after the end of SQ1. The drivers therefore begin this SQ2 with ten minutes remaining to determine the top 10 of this Sprint qualification.

Hülkenberg posted a 1'22″416, Magnussen was half a second behind and Verstappen did better in 1'22″188. Sainz placed himself between the Haas, and Leclerc took the best time in 1'22″130. Stroll took fifth ahead of Lawson.

Norris took second time, 0.043 seconds behind Leclerc, and 0.015 seconds ahead of Verstappen. Albon was sixth ahead of Alonso, and Gasly did better to take sixth, while Piastri set the fastest time in 1'22.050.

Russell and Hamilton decided to do two preparation laps, while Verstappen went off track slightly on his last lap, but he set a similar time to Piastri! Sainz did better than everyone in 1'21″809, and Leclerc failed nine thousandths behind his teammate.

Bottas took the 12th time and Lawson the ninth, and Russell took the lead of the session in 1'21″488. Hamilton did not do better than seventh. Norris, on the other hand, progressed and moved into first place in 1'21″231, while Piastri's time was canceled for failure to respect track limits.

Piastri moved up to third, and Stroll finished ninth. Alonso slipped in front of his teammate, and Verstappen moved up to fourth. Piastri is worried about having damaged his car on the kerbs.

Albon moved up to tenth, eliminating Stroll, and Lawson took eighth fastest. Bottas did not do better than 12th, and Magnussen did not do better than 15th. Gasly progressed with ninth place, and a ticket for SQ3!

Those eliminated were Alonso, Albon, Bottas, Stroll and Magnussen.

SQ3 – 8 minutes – Soft tires

Sainz and Verstappen appeared to hinder each other in the first sector, while the McLaren drivers took to the track later for a single fast lap. Lawson clocked 1'22″5 and Gasly did better in 1'22″3.

Leclerc took the lead in 1'21″705, and Norris did much better in 1'21″012! The best time of the weekend, and Piastri did not do better, even if he closed to 0″159 behind his teammate. Verstappen placed third, three tenths behind, and Russell did better. Hamilton s is placed fifth.

The McLaren drivers still put together a quick second time. Hülkenberg moved up to seventh, and Norris stopped his lap because he was late. Piastri finished but failed by two tenths without improving!

Verstappen did not do better than his first overall and he remains fourth. Russell did better and got in between the McLarens! Lawson moved up to seventh, and Sainz moved up to fourth. Leclerc is fifth, and Gasly was eighth.

Norris is on pole for the Qatar F1 Sprint ahead of Russell. Piastri and Sainz will follow on the second row, ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen. Hamilton is seventh ahead of Gasly, Lawson and Hülkenberg.