After his victory during the sprint race, Max Verstappen managed to take pole position for the race on Sunday during qualifying. Teammate Sergio Perez made it a full front row start for Red Bull.
Q1 GREEN LIGHT
Qualifying in Shanghai is… Zhou!!! #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/AANxeXh39L
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024
On Friday, qualifying for the sprint race was held in the rain and that created quite a spectacle. However, qualifying for the race on Sunday was held in dry conditions. As the sessions progressed, the circuit became more and more ‘run in’ and the drivers also gained more and more grip.
The cheers ring through the grandstands as Zhou goes P8 in the closing seconds of Q1
Will it be enough though? #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/33nRPQO751
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024
Of course, home driver Guanyu Zhou, in particular, received a lot of encouragement, but unfortunately for him, he was already out in Q1. The big surprise, however, was the elimination of Lewis Hamilton. On Friday he qualified second and Hamilton also finished second during the sprint race, but qualifying for the race on Sunday was disappointing. After all, Hamilton was eliminated with the eighteenth fastest time.
ELIMINATED IN Q1
Zhou
Magnussen
Hamilton
Tsunoda
Sargeant#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/wnjEC2UsEc— Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024
In Q2, we suddenly got a red flag when Carlos Sainz went a little too wide in the last corner, ended up in the gravel trap, and lost control of his F1 car. Sainz then crashed sideways into the tire wall.
More shots of Carlos’ spin #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/LFRYpIdeDH
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024
Sainz was able to drive away again after the impact with the tire wall, and Ferrari gratefully used the red flag to provide Sainz with a new front wing for his F1 car. Furthermore, there seemed to be no serious damage to Sainz’s car, but with a provisional fourteenth time, he had to work hard to try to reach Q3.
It’s all systems go at Ferrari!
Can they get Sainz back on track to finish Q2? #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/GDeLt2s7zG
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024
Max Verstappen ultimately set the fastest time in Q2, ahead of teammate Sergio Perez. Carlos Sainz managed to set the third fastest time in his restored Ferrari, ahead of Charles Leclerc. No big surprises with the eliminated cars in Q2, and Max Verstappen would enter Q3 as the big favorite for pole position.
OUT OF Q2
Lance Stroll
Daniel Ricciardo
Esteban Ocon
Alex Albon
Pierre Gasly pic.com/DoX0CdlbaB— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) April 20, 2024
During the first series of fast runs in Q3, we saw Max Verstappen claim a provisional pole position with a time of 1:33.977. Fernando Alonso set the second fastest time, ahead of Sergio Perez. Verstappen already seemed certain of pole position, while it was close behind him.
Careful, Oscar
Piastri holds on to finish P5 after the first run#F1 #ChineseGP pic.com/M8d0C5u2C9
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024
An ultimate second fast run followed, and Verstappen further improved his time. Pole position for Max Verstappen while teammate Sergio Perez made it a full front row for Red Bull. Fernando Alonso was ‘best of the rest’ in the Aston Martin. Everything was fairly close behind the Red Bulls, as the drivers from third to eighth fastest were within about two tenths.