McLaren’s Lando Norris dominated all three segments of Friday’s Sprint Qualifying pole shootout at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
The performance marked a huge rebound for the British driver after a disappointing outing in Las Vegas, showcasing his skill and determination as he leads the charge for McLaren in their quest for the Constructors’ Championship.
The Sprint Qualifying pole shootout took place under the floodlights of the Lusail International Circuit on Friday evening, and Lando Norris’ performance was nothing short of spectacular, as he topped all three segments of the qualifying session.
As usual, the Sprint Qualifying format at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix required drivers to use medium tires during the first segment, SQ1, which lasted for 12 minutes and Norris proceeded to set an early benchmark with a time of 1:22.785, placing him nearly half a second clear of his rivals.
However, his initial pace was quickly challenged by George Russell who had just won the previous race in Las Vegas and was eager to continue his momentum. The Mercedes driver managed to close the gap finishing SQ1 just 0.026 seconds behind Norris.
As the session progressed, Ferrari drivers began to find their rhythm with Charles Leclerc clocking a time of 1:22.156, briefly taking the top spot before Carlos Sainz slotted in just behind him. However, both Ferrari drivers faced challenges as they attempted to maintain their positions amid rapidly improving track conditions.
Ultimately, the session concluded with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez again suffering an early elimination in P16 alongside RB’s Yuki Tsunoda in P17 while Alpine’s Esteban Ocon only took 18th ahead of Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu and Williams’ Franco Colapinto in 19th to 20th respectively.
In SQ2, Lando Norris continued to assert his dominance by setting a time that further showcased McLaren’s competitive edge at this circuit. He recorded a lap of 1:21.356 which became a critical reference point for the remaining drivers.
Despite some initial struggles from other teams, including Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, it was clear that McLaren had found an advantage on this track.
However, the Aston Martin duo of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll didn’t make the cut, finishing 11th and 14th respectively. Williams driver Alexander Albon narrowly beat Valtteri Bottas to take 12th, while Haas’ Kevin Magnussen brought up the rear of the SQ2 field
The final segment, SQ3, saw Lando Norris demonstrate his ability to handle the high-speed corners of Lusail with precision and confidence to deliver an impressive lap time of 1:21.012 on his first attempt, which ultimately secured him Sprint Qualifying pole.
Meanwhile, George Russell managed to split the McLaren drivers by finishing second with a time of 1:21.075 just 0.063 seconds behind Sprint Qualifying pole sitter Norris.
A late surge from Russell prevented team Papaya from achieving a front-row lockout but still placed them in an excellent position for the Sprint race ahead as Oscar Piastri completed the top three with a time of 1:21.171 despite struggling in the latter sectors.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz qualified fourth with a time of 1:21.281 while teammate Charles Leclerc followed closely in fifth at 1:21.308.
Both drivers had delivered a stronger showing during practice for 2024 Qatar Grand Prix but were unable to match McLaren’s pace during crucial moments of qualifying. Leclerc specifically noted issues with understeer that hampered his ability to push harder during SQ3.
Max Verstappen, who has already secured the World Championship title this season, finished sixth for Red Bull Racing with a time that left him outside of Sprint Qualifying pole contention but still within striking distance heading into the Sprint race.
Lewis Hamilton placed seventh for Mercedes, while Pierre Gasly continued to impress with an eighth-place finish for Alpine. Nico Hulkenberg completed another positive day for Haas in P9 while RB’s Liam Lawson rounded out the top ten.
The results from Sprint Qualifying have significant implications for both individual drivers and teams as they head into Saturday’s race.
With McLaren holding a 24-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ standings, Lando Norris’ pole position is crucial for maintaining and potentially extending that lead as they aim for their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998.
As anticipation builds for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix Sprint race on Saturday at 2 PM local time, all eyes will be on whether Norris can convert his Sprint Qualifying pole into a victory and how his competitors will respond in what promises to be an exciting contest at Lusail.
