Lando Norris after the pole sprint in China: “Absolutely crazy” / Formula 1

The GP weekend at the Shanghai International Circuit was very busy: after only 60 minutes of free practice, qualifying for the race on April 20 in China was already underway. On Saturday things will also happen in quick succession: with the sprint and then the qualifying for the Grand Prix.

The short qualifying session (measured until the final practice for the Grand Prix) started with an air temperature of 20 degrees, the asphalt was a temperature of 30 degrees It rained after free training, but it stopped before the start of qualifying.

As a reminder: All drivers must use Pirelli tires of medium hardness in the first and second part of the qualifying race, and then soft rollers in the third part. Q1 is only twelve minutes long, Q2 ten, Q3 eight.

Oscar Piastri reported some rain drops at the beginning of Q1. The technicians warned the pilots to make a quick lap if it really started to rain. And Mercedes driver George Russell said on the radio: “More rain.”

Lap times and ranks changed almost every second: Leclerc ahead of Piastri and Hamilton, then Norris in P2 before Max Verstappen took command, ahead of Fernando Alonso. But the best moment didn’t last long: Sergio Pérez’s best moment.

It can be seen on the weather radar: rain is coming. Qualifying was busier than usual and surprises were inevitable.

From Q1: Gasly, Ocon, Albon, Tsunoda and Sargeant.

Top ten after the first part: Pérez, Norris, Verstappen, Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz, Alonso, Hülkenberg, Stroll and Magnussen.

As in free practice, the grass around the track started to burn in turn 7, ignited by the low sparks of the racing cars. The deployment of marshals, the start of the second part of qualifying had to be postponed.

This was bad news as the rain front was relentlessly approaching. Spectators opened their helmets, mechanics middle tires for mixed conditions.

Of course, the remaining 15 drivers immediately took to the track in Q2 to get a lap on the track that was still wet. Charles Leclerc received a warning: “More rain at the end of the first fast lap.”

The Red Bull and Mercedes races waited a little longer to take advantage of the hotter tires. But the stakes were high: if it rained sooner than expected, it would mean game over.

McLaren driver Lando Norris was the first driver to use the free lane to set the best time, but he had a few obstacles and was overtaken immediately by Piastri, then by Leclerc.

With the tires well warmed up, world champion Verstappen entered first place, a tenth of a second behind Leclerc in the Ferrari and Piastri in the McLaren. Only Hamilton in P9, Russell in P11 – and now it started to pour. The Mercedes driver is out.

End of career after Q2: Russell, Magnussen, Hülkenberg, Ricciardo and Stroll.

Rounding out the top ten for: Verstappen, Leclerc, Pérez, Piastri, Norris, Sainz, Bottas, Alonso, Hamilton and local hero Zhou, who received huge applause from the well-filled stands.

As expected: cars in the third part of qualifying are on medium tires for wet tracks. Of course there was another traffic jam at the end of pit lane, because the weathermen said that it was raining more than light.

The first casualty of the conditions: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc near the track, the Monegasque was able to continue driving after spinning with a pile of tires, but reported that his front wing was broken. The situation is now very bad.

The world champion Verstappen went off the track several times, the Dutchman was only third, then his lap was cancelled, which made Oscar Piastri better – the best time. For a few seconds, then Pérez took over.

Verstappen did a new test, but he was off the track again, so this lap didn’t count either.

Events happened at the front: Alonso with the best time, then Hamilton, then Norris – wow!

Lando says: “The conditions were crazy. I’m really happy with how things went today. I was very worried because I thought we had the best car on the dry track.”

“It was about risk, it was about warming up the tires, it was about time. I put everything at risk because the situation was getting worse and mistakes were coming in. I’m very relieved that it was enough for a better time. But honestly – I don’t know how this will grow into Saturday’s race. The first guide will be the weather again.”

Norris is on pole for the race at the end of 2023 in Brazil, followed by Hamilton and Alonso for Verstappen. Everything is set for a good sprint on Saturday morning.

Sprint Qualifying, China

01. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, 1:57,940 minutes
02. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, 1:59,201
03. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, 1:59.915
04. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 2:00,028
05. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, 2:00.214
06. Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, 2:00.375
07. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, 2:00,566
08. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, 2:00.990
09. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Sauber, 2:01.044
10. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, 2:03,537
11. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, 1:36,345
12. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, 1:36.473
13. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, 1:36.478
14. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Bull Racing, 1:36.553
15. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, 1:36,677
16. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, 1:37,632
17. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, 1:37,720
18. Alex Albon (T), Williams, 1:37,812
19. Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bulls, 1:37,892
20. Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams, 1:37,923

On the pole for the race

Silverstone 2021 – Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes
Monza 2021 – Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Mercedes
Interlagos 2021 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Imola 2022 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Ring 2022 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Interlagos 2022 – Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas
Baku 2023 – Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari
Spielberg 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Francorchamps 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Qatar 2023 – Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren-Mercedes
Austin 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Interlags 2023 – Lando Norris (GB), McLaren
Shanghai 2024 – Lando Norris (GB), McLaren

All race winners

Silverstone 2021 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Monza 2021 – Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Mercedes
Interlagos 2021 – Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Mercedes
Imola 2022 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Ring 2022 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Interlagos 2022 – George Russell (GB), Mercedes
Baku 2023 – Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing
Spielberg 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Francorchamps 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Qatar 2023 – Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren-Mercedes
Austin 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing
Interlagos 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing