Credit: FIA – F1
Lando Norris pulled off a stunning late lap to secure pole position for the 2024 F1 Spanish Grand Prix during qualifying, edging out championship leader Max Verstappen by a mere 0.02 seconds. This marks Norris’ second career pole in Formula 1.
Q1: Hamilton Surprises, VCARBs Struggle
The first qualifying session saw Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set an early pace with a lap of 1:12.257, narrowly beating Verstappen by 0.049 seconds. However, it was Lewis Hamilton who stole the show of Q1, clocking in at 1:12.143 on his final run after a lackluster start.
Despite a series of new upgrades, the VCARBs of Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo were eliminated, falling just under a second shy of Hamilton’s benchmark. Joining them on the sidelines were Kevin Magnussen of Haas, and the Williams duo of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant.
Q2: Verstappen Leads, Alonso Falters
In Q2, Verstappen took control with a blistering 1:11.653, 0.139 seconds ahead of Hamilton. Home favorite Fernando Alonso faced disappointment, managing only 14th initially and eventually improving to 11th, missing out on Q3.
Other notable eliminations included Sauber teammates Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, Nico Hulkenberg of Haas, and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin.
Q3: Norris Clinches Pole
Verstappen initially set the pace in Q3 with a 1:11.673, followed by Norris, Hamilton, and Russell. As the final runs commenced, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Leclerc both came close to challenging for pole but fell short, with Sainz 0.063s and Leclerc 0.058s off the pace.
Verstappen improved his time to 1:11.403, aided by a tow from teammate Sergio Perez. However, Norris delivered a stunning 1:11.383 on his final lap, securing pole by the narrowest of margins.
Hamilton will start third, three-tenths off the front row, followed by George Russell, Leclerc, Sainz, and Pierre Gasly of Alpine. Perez, despite his three-place grid penalty carried over from Canada, qualified eighth but will start 11th. Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Oscar Piastri, who went off on his fresh-tire run, will start ninth and tenth, respectively.
Grid Position Overview
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull) – Starts 11th due to penalty
Find the full results and timings of the qualifying session here.
That concludes the 2024 F1 Spanish qualifying as Lando Norris finished with the fastest lap. The stage is set for an intense Spanish Grand Prix, with Norris and Verstappen poised for a fierce battle at the front. The closely matched qualifying times should provide for an exhilarating start of the race as drivers gear up for Sunday’s showdown.
