China – Qualifications: Bottas untouchable, Renault returns to Q3!

1000th Grand Prix… and 1000th qualifying session!

It is under ideal conditions that this session begins on the Shanghai track, with beautiful sunshine, veiled by the usual fog of the Chinese city.

Victim of a major crash during Free Practice 3, Alexander Albon will not take part in these qualifying sessions.

Just 10 minutes to qualifying in Shanghai

Here’s the sky situation – the drivers will want their tinted visors 🌞#ChineseGP 🇨🇳 #Race1000 pic.twitter.com/KEPIRAMNKx

— Formula 1 (@F1) 13 avril 2019

Q1: Giovinazzi out without driving, Bottas leads

First on the track, the Williams are clearly showing difficulties in terms of handling with a lot of oversteer. The English cars seem to be endlessly stuck at the bottom of the standings as the season progresses.

Exit of the Ferraris, quickly setting their pace. On this run, Sebastian Vettel leads Charles Leclerc by half a second with a time of 1:33.557. Confirming his good form during practice, Valtteri Bottas confirms and claims the provisional fastest time at 1:32.658, thus comfortably ahead of the German’s Ferrari.

First laps of Q1 in the bag. 👊👊#VB77 in P1 with a 1:32.658#LH44 in P2 with a 1:33.115#ChineseGP #Race1000 pic.twitter.com/mpJd32MYRJ

— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) 13 avril 2019

On his side, Lewis Hamilton placed second, half a second behind the Finn.

At the end of the session, there was significant pressure on Pierre Gasly, who needed to perform well while avoiding going off track. Mission accomplished for the new Red Bull driver, who advances to Q2 in eleventh place. More ease for his teammate Max Verstappen, who secured the third provisional time with 1:33.274.

Trapped by traffic, Charles Leclerc finds himself in eleventh place and is forced to go back on track to avoid any setbacks. He easily sets things straight by clocking the second fastest time of the session with 1:32:712.

On his side, Antonio Giovinazzi did not participate in the session, immobilized at his stand due to an engine installation problem on his car. Lando Norris narrowly avoided elimination, just ahead of Lance Stroll, who experienced a third Q1 exit in three weekends this season.

Eliminated in Q1: Lance Stroll, George Russell, Robert Kubica, Antonio Giovinazzi, Alexander Albon

🏁 Q1: Final classification 🏁

Albon, Giovinazzi, Kubica, Russell and Stroll are out#ChineseGP 🇨🇳 #Race1000 pic.twitter.com/hK018eqqP4

— Formula 1 (@F1) 13 avril 2019

Q2: Mercedes positions itself, McLaren drags its feet

The German team attacks quickly at the start of the session. Valtteri Bottas sets a time of 1:31.728 and distances himself from Lewis Hamilton by almost a second.

Ferrari attempts to counter but remains behind, which confirms the dynamic of Q1. The order of the top teams seems restored with the Red Bulls completing the top 6: Max Verstappen 4th and Pierre Gasly 6th, 1.2 seconds off the provisional best time.

On the verge of elimination, the Renaults will have to give everything on the final attempt to secure their passage into Q3. Both Renaults qualify with difficulty, Daniel Ricciardo (10th) narrowly avoiding elimination, 22 milliseconds ahead of Daniil Kvyat’s Toro Rosso (11th)! It’s the first appearance in Q3 for the two French cars, as Nico Hülkenberg secures the 7th fastest time in this Q2.

On his last attempt and on his second set of tires, Lewis Hamilton achieved the best time with a 1:31:637.

Underperforming, the two McLarens can do nothing against their opponents: Carlos Sainz is only 14th, just ahead of Lando Norris! After 51 consecutive Q3 participations, the streak ends for Kimi Räikkönen, who is thirteenth. His last elimination in Q2 was at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2016. Eliminated in Q2: Daniil Kvyat, Sergio Pérez, Kimi Räikkönen, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris

🏁Q2: Full classification 🏁

Lewis Hamilton sets the best time with a 1:31.637 on medium tyres

Kvyat, Perez, Räikkönen, Sainz and Norris are out#ChineseGP 🇨🇳 #Race1000 pic.twitter.com/kDl8J2U2ig

— Formula 1 (@F1) 13 avril 2019

Q3: Bottas too strong, mistake at Haas and Red Bull!

The Mercedes hit the track first. Despite Lewis Hamilton’s efforts, Valtteri Bottas is still the fastest with a time of 1:31:563. But the gap between the two drivers is slim: seven thousandths!

Ferrari are clearly outpaced by more than half a second, with Sebastian Vettel finishing his lap in 1:32.001, Charles Leclerc in 1:32.102. Max Verstappen even managed to slip between the two Italian cars at the end of this first test. Pierre Gasly rounds out the top 6.

Will the Ferraris be able to reverse the trend in the second and final attempt of the session?

Leading the 10 drivers, Lewis Hamilton is at the front of the line for a final attack. The Briton can start his last lap, unlike the drivers from Haas and Red Bull! Big mistake by both teams, caught out by the timing. The four cars were not timed during the last attempt… a blow for Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, who did not go out during the first run!

So it’s six single-seaters that complete a final lap time, under the checkered flag. Just like at the start of the session, the Mercedes stay ahead, with Valtteri Bottas in front of Lewis Hamilton! The Finn sets a superb time of 1:31.547, two tenths faster than his teammate. Closing in a bit on the last lap, Sebastian Vettel (3rd) and Charles Leclerc (4th) still have to settle for the second row, three tenths behind the rival cars.

The two Red Bulls close out the top 6, Verstappen ahead of a reassuring Gasly. With Daniel Ricciardo 7th and Nico Hülkenberg 8th, the two Renaults take advantage of Haas’s troubles to secure the fourth row. Despite his team’s timing error, Romain Grosjean can be pleased with this strong qualifying performance. In the last 17 Grand Prix, the Frenchman has reached Q3 16 times!

Full Classification: Qualifying ⏱️@MercedesAMGF1 lock out the front row 💪

And how close at @RenaultF1Team?!? 😮#ChineseGP 🇨🇳 #Race1000 pic.twitter.com/MOpCcbyC8D

— Formula 1 (@F1) 13 avril 2019