Spanish Grand Prix – Qualifying: Lando Norris takes a surprise pole

The three free practice sessions preceding this qualifying session have boosted the morale of Red Bull’s competitors. While Red Bull were announced as the top favorites, it appears instead that this weekend is the closest of the season with Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari having shown that they have a chance to fight for pole position.

Q1:

Guanyu Zhou was the first driver to hit the track. Currently in troubled waters in the transfer market sea, it is important for the Chinese driver to keep his head high and show a higher level of competitiveness during this European tour if he wants to attract a potential new employer.

Sergio Perez was the first top driver to set a fast lap. A time that turned out to be disappointing as soon as Max Verstappen crossed the line, shattering his garage neighbor’s time by 7 tenths. Charles Leclerc then took the lead with a 49-millisecond advantage. He thus set the absolute record of the track. The Q3 time from last year was beaten in Q1, evidence of an ever more intense development race in the premier category of motorsport.

It was ultimately Lewis Hamilton who took the fastest lap in Q1 with a 1:12.143. Sergio Perez was another driver from a top team to return to the track. The Mexican significantly improved his performance to get closer to Verstappen by a few hundredths and thus, for the first time since two years at Imola, managed to get out of Q1.

Racing Bulls are along with Ferrari the two teams that have brought the most improvements to Barcelona. These new parts have not been game-changing. Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, the latter of whom had a very good weekend in Canada, have not been able to replicate their good form from recent races and were eliminated in Q1 in Spain. Currently 6th in the Constructors’ Championship, Laurent Mekies did not hide from Canal+ microphones that the VCARB simply was not comfortable on the Montmelo circuit.

The other disappointment, but this one was predictable considering the layout of the circuit, is the elimination of the two Williams at the back of the grid. Despite setting a clean quick lap, Alexander Albon couldn’t conjure up any miracles from a car that was sorely lacking in speed on the Catalan circuit.

The eliminated in Q1: Kevin Magnussen (16th), Yuki Tsunoda (17th), Daniel Ricciardo (18th), Alexander Albon (19th) and Logan Sargeant (20th)

Q2:

Pierre Gasly was the big surprise of the start of Q2. With his 1:12.182, the Normandy native was relegating Sergio Perez’s Red Bull by just under a tenth and emerged as the best of the rest in 7th position. At the end of their first stints, both Alpines are in the top 10. This would almost be an anomaly as much as Bruno Famin and the drivers warned at the beginning of the first runs that this weekend should be one of the most difficult of the season.

This start of the session has been much more disappointing for Lewis Hamilton. His first attempt only placed him 13th on the timing sheet. The British driver complained about his tires on the radio. The seven-time world champion corrected the situation on his second try by improving his time by more than half a second, moving from 13th to 2nd place. On his second lap, George Russell did not manage to beat his teammate.

11 years ago, at the Circuit de Catalunya, Fernando Alonso claimed what is now his last victory in Formula 1. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, it seems unlikely that he will be able to challenge for a 33rd career win this weekend. His Grand Prix in Canada, which resulted in a very good 5th place, appears as an epiphenomenon in this 2024 season that is not meeting expectations. Alonso was eliminated as early as Q2, behind the two Alpines, in 11th position.

Last in Q2, Guanyu Zhou may regret having delivered another invisible performance. The Kick Sauber driver failed to find the same pace as Valterri Bottas. So it’s 5 tenths that separate the two teammates. This new disappointing performance will not help Zhou’s agents convince teams to hire him for 2025.

Eliminated in Q2: Fernando Alonso (11th), Valtteri Bottas (12th), Nico Hülkenberg (13th), Lance Stroll (14th), and Guanyu Zhou (15th).

Q3:

Max Verstappen likes late awakenings. If the Dutchman may give the impression of lacking answers or having a knee on the ground during the free practice sessions, he always manages to sweep away the doubts about his dominance as the qualifying sessions progress. Author of a 1:11.673 at the end of his first lap, the triple world champion placed his closest rival, Lando Norris, one-tenth behind him. Without appearing as untouchable as last year, the Red Bull driver still manages to extract the extra performance needed to stay at the top of the time sheet.

So, two tenths ahead of his own time, pole position seemed guaranteed for Verstappen. The untouchable king was about to be crowned with a new success. After Charles Leclerc in Monaco, George Russell in Canada, it’s Lando Norris who comes to knock Max Verstappen off his pedestal. It’s only the second pole position for the McLaren driver (Russia 2021 for the first).

The session has a more bitter taste on the other side of the McLaren garage. Oscar Piastri invalidated his first attempt by going too wide. Leaving earlier than his direct competitors to ensure he had a time in the bank, the young Australian made a crucial mistake by going too wide in sector 3. Having not set a time in Q3, Piastri will start the race in 10th position.

Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, and Carlos Sainz complete a Top 6 separated by only three and a half tenths.

The other pleasant surprise of this qualifying session is the superb performance of Pierre Gasly. The Alpine driver has shown a very high speed since FP2. His work is rewarded with a brilliant 7th position. The Normand cannot rationally explain the return to form of the Alpine this weekend but welcomes this great result with open arms.

Qualifications table: