Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco steers his automobile through the dash qualifying session for the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix on the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China, Friday, April 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP
The Chinese Grand Prix could deliver some much-needed drama to Formula 1, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen cannot be penciled in because the almost-certain winner on Sunday.
It’s additionally the season’s first GP with a dash race, which implies Friday’s observe session was the one one of many weekend. Lando Norris of McLaren went on to safe the pole for Saturday’s dash race, operating in a wet qualifying session with drivers struggling to management their automobiles.
That included Verstappen.
“It was incredibly slippery out there and I struggled a lot to get the temperature in the tires, that’s why it was very difficult to keep the car on track,” the three-time world champion stated. “The car never really switched on for me and it was like driving on ice, which is why I think we deserved where we finished in sprint.”
Verstappen has gained 22 of the final 26 GPs and three of the primary 4 this season. Only brake failure in Australia stored him from presumably sweeping the primary 4 races. The fifth race would possibly show a problem even for Verstappen.
“It’s got the probability of throwing up quite a few variables and, perhaps, some unexpected results,” Red Bull principal Christian Horner said Friday. ”I feel it is going to be all motion.”
Here’s why.
The observe is a slight unknown. This is the primary F1 race in China in 5 years, scratched from the calendar by the COVID-19 pandemic. The final was gained in 2019 by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
But the most important unknown is the state of the racing floor, which has had a skinny “seal coating” utilized — described as liquid asphalt. Drivers have repeatedly stated it seems prefer it’s been painted. And tire provider Pirelli stated it wasn’t absolutely conscious of the adjustments heading into the race.
Though exhausting to draw any agency conclusion, Friday’s observe kicked up some uncommon names on the prime.
Lance Stroll of Aston Martin had the quickest time (1 minute, 36.302 seconds), adopted by Oscar Piastri of McClaren. Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez had been Nos. 3-4 adopted by two Haas drivers — Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.
China’s first F1 driver Zhou Guanyu was eleventh in observe in a Sauber.
Charles Leclerc hinted on Thursday about Ferrari closing the hole on Red Bull. They did not in Friday’s observe. Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz had been thirteenth and 14th.
“Everything we expected in terms of uncertainty is happening and hopefully this will mean that we have an entertaining event here in China with some action and some opportunities,” McLaren group principal Andrea Stella stated.
He stated there was lowered tire grip within the observe session, and tires confirmed heavy put on from the unfamiliar floor.
Drivers spoke two weeks in the past on the Japanese GP about their disquiet over the dash in China. The observe is positioned about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of central Shanghai, seen on the distant horizon via a hazy smog on Friday.
Horner accepted the priority however famous the Shanghai circuit is a identified amount, internet hosting races since 2004.
“We have plenty of historic knowledge from this circuit,” he said. “It’s not like turning up at a brand new venue and having to learn all over again.”
Norris’ qualifying lap in the third sprint session was 1 minute, 57.940 seconds. The times in the rain on Friday were about 20 seconds slower than when qualifying began under dry conditions.
Norris will start from the pole with Hamilton alongside.
Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin will start on the second row with Verstappen. Row 3 has Sainz and Perez.
Asked what the race conditions would be on Saturday, Norris replied: “No clue.”
“It was getting wetter and wetter,” Norris said. “I was aquaplaning quite a bit.”
The F1 sprints are about one-third the length of the regular GP. The top eight drivers earn points — eight for first place, seven for second, six for third, and so on.
Qualifying was slowed by off-and-on rain that got more persistent as the session went on. Leclerc went off and hit a retaining wall and appeared to damage a front wing during one of his laps.
Many of the cars struggled for grip including Verstappen, who went off the track on one of his laps.
The sprint will be followed later Saturday with qualifying for Sunday’s race.
Horner was asked Friday if Red Bull was close to confirming its driver lineup for next season. Verstappen, of course, is on a long-term contract. The question is over Perez, whose contract expires after this season.
Reports persist that Ferrari’s Sainz is a possibility. His seat at Ferrari will be taken next year by Hamilton who is leaving Merdeces. Sainz is also reportedly in talks with Audi, which will take over Sauber for the 2026 season,
“We’re in a situation where we’re very happy with our two drivers,” Horner said. “We do not want to make a remaining resolution in regards to the lineup till just about later within the yr.”
