Constructors’ championship rivals Ferrari and McLaren stuffed the highest 4 locations in the one apply session for the Qatar Grand Prix on Friday, with Charles Leclerc topping the timesheets forward of Lando Norris.
The pair are additionally combating for second total in a drivers’ championship already gained by Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen for the fourth 12 months in a row.
Norris, at the moment second and 21 factors forward of Leclerc, lapped 0.425sec slower than Leclerc’s greatest effort of 1 minute and 21.953sec on the Lusail circuit. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was third and Carlos Sainz fourth for Ferrari.
McLaren, final constructors’ champions in 1998, lead Ferrari by 24 factors with two rounds remaining and a complete of 103 factors nonetheless to be gained in that battle on account of a Saturday dash in Qatar.
02:53 PM GMTEither means, it’s encouraging for Ferrari
They didn’t have excessive expectation and haven’t carried out something but, however they need to be – no less than – extra aggressive than they had been anticipated to be.
We can be again for dash qualifying which begins at 5.30pm GMT, so in round a few hours or so.
02:48 PM GMTI was not anticipating that order
It might be good if Ferrari had been aggressive right here. Could be good to see them battle with McLaren on monitor for the constructors’ title. Let’s see what occurs in dash qualifying. I believe McLaren have a bit extra to offer.
02:37 PM GMTFP1 – Classification
LEC 1:21.953
NOR +0.425
PIA +0.472
SAI +0.582
TSU +1.092
BOT +1.111
STR +1.146
RUS +1.207
ALB +1.208
HAM +1.235
VER +1.260
ALO +1.274
HUL +1.292
LAW +1.609
GAS +1.667
MAG +1.762
ZHO +1.927
PER +2.086
COL +2.247
OCO +2.327
Simply two tenths between Tsunoda in fifth and Hulkenberg in thirteenth.
02:35 PM GMTFP1 ends – Just a few vehicles on the market nonetheless ending laps
Bottas going quickest within the center sector. He jumps from thirteenth to sixth…
Magnussen doesn’t transfer larger than sixteenth within the Haas. Leclerc, although, improves considerably to remain quickest and improve his margin over Norris to 0.425sec. Spectacular and into the 1:21s.
02:30 PM GMTFP1 – Into the ultimate 10 minutes
Right here is the highest 10 because it stands:
LEC 1:22.242
NOR +0.136
PIA +0.183
SAI +0.740
STR +0.857
RUS +0.918
ALB +0.919
HAM +0.946
VER +0.971
ALO +0.985
It’s very shut from first to 3rd (0.183sec) after which from fifth to tenth (0.128sec). Perez down in 18th for some motive. Undecided what occurred along with his push lap.
02:27 PM GMTFP1 – Piastri can’t go sooner than Leclerc
0.183sec behind. Hamilton in sixth. Norris on a superb lap, is it ok for first? Nope. 0.136sec off Leclerc’s tempo. Leclerc and the 2 McLarens are inside two tenths of each other. Shut.
02:26 PM GMTFP1 – Poor lap from Sainz
He does enhance his earlier lap time however stays second for now. Nonetheless 0.740sec behind his team-mate.
02:25 PM GMTFP1 – Verstappen crosses the road to go third
0.145sec off Sainz’s time, ran huge in direction of the tip. Stroll is up there forward of Verstappen, as now could be Russell. Leclerc improves to a 1:22.242 and Sainz doesn’t appear like matching that, being half a second down after two sectors…
02:24 PM GMTFP1 – Onto the comfortable tyres for Mercedes
Tender tyres on. Let’s go for some flying laps 🚀
Let’s see what they’ve.
02:22 PM GMTFP1 – Into the ultimate 10 minutes
Hamilton, by the best way, is down in thirteenth place as he begins his penultimate race weekend for Mercedes. It has not been going that effectively in current weeks. Just a few drivers on the market on the softs now, although not everyone. Albobn, Bottas, Colapinto and Zhou. Albon crosses the road to go third on his first scorching lap on the comfortable tyres.
02:20 PM GMTFP1 – May Ferrari be a shock bundle right here?
Exhausting to say, actually. These situations aren’t completely unrepresentative although we should wait till dash qualifying is over earlier than we actually get a real image.
02:19 PM GMTFP1 – All quiet on monitor
Simply Ocon, Sainz, Gasly and Colapinto on the market and they’re going to all, I assume, be ducking into the pit lane shortly.
02:14 PM GMTFP1 – Perez on the radio
“That McLaren is flying,” he says. It’s a Ferrari 1-2 at the moment, although.
02:12 PM GMTFP1 – 20 minutes to go
Right here is the highest 10:
SAI 1:23.068
LEC +0.351
NOR +0.658
GAS +0.661
VER +0.817
PIA +1.018
ALO +1.091
RUS +1.207
TSU +1.398
ALB +1.464
02:08 PM GMTFP1 – Carlos Sainz makes it a Ferrari 1-2
He’s 0.119sec off Leclerc’s quickest time with Lando Norris an extra 0.188sec behind the Spaniard. Gasly runs huge and is apprehensive concerning the flooring of the automobile.
02:03 PM GMTFP1 – Piastri runs huge at flip 15
He’s behind team-mate Norris on monitor in addition to within the order.
He has now let Charles Leclerc by and does the identical with Verstappen, so is clealry not on a push lap. Lando Norris was however runs huge once more after shedding the rear finish. Did effectively to maintain it going forwards however that can have broken his rear tyres a good quantity.
02:02 PM GMTFP1 – Each automobile however the two Alpines on the market now
Williams appear to be the one workforce specializing in the laborious tyres this session. Most others on the market on the mediums. Leclerc nonetheless leads the best way forward of Verstappen, Gasly, Norris, Sainz and Russell.
01:57 PM GMTFP1 – Colapinto’s flip to run huge
Williams can ailing afford any extra harm, they’ve had so many costly crashes this season at a complete astronomical price. Fortunately the Argentine will get away with none vital harm. In all probability a couple of scratches to the underside of the ground, although.
01:52 PM GMTFP1 – Present order
LEC 1:23.702
VER +0.183
GAS +0.222
NOR +0.361
SAI +0.387
RUS +0.573
TSU +0.764
ALB +0.830
PER +1.293
PIA +1.489
01:50 PM GMTFP1 – The Lawson vs Perez battle resumes…
We then see a replay of Perez operating huge and practically shedding it at flip 15. He goes into the gravel strip however manages to maintain it going.
Leclerc at the moment leads the best way from Verstappen, Gasly, Norris and Sainz. All inside 4 tenths. Hamilton complains of no stability.
01:48 PM GMTFP1 – A little bit of a large number on the market in the mean time
Vehicles tripping over others as some are on scorching laps while others are on cooldown or warm-up laps. A tough circuit for it as a result of there are many medium-speed corners, particularly within the center a part of the monitor from flip 4 to 10.
01:43 PM GMTFP1 – Russell now prime
0.076sec forward of Lando Norris within the McLaren. It might be one other shock had been Mercedes to win right here this weekend however it has been a really uncommon season… all 20 vehicles on monitor now.
01:39 PM GMTFP1 – Tsunoda strikes to the highest within the RB
He’s 0.368sec forward of Verstappen, who has not but come into the pits to alter his helmet.
01:36 PM GMTFP1 – Verstappen leads the best way to date
A 1:26.338 is 1.117 sooner than team-mate Sergio Perez in the mean time. Verstappen complains that he has a whole lot of hair coming into his helmet and can are available in to alter it after this run, although not instantly.
01:35 PM GMTFP1 – 56 minutes stay
A good few vehicles on the market on monitor in the mean time although no Hamilton but.
01:30 PM GMTFP1 begins
An hour session because the solar goes down simply outdoors of Lusail.
01:23 PM GMTNews: Russell leads drivers’ criticism of Ben Sulayem as extra key figures depart FIA
George Russell led rising criticism of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem within the F1 paddock on Thursday night time, calling for “higher readability and stability” at motorsport’s world governing physique on a day when two extra senior figures departed, with one among them claiming he was “sacked by textual content message”.
The Mercedes driver mentioned the problem was mentioned at a specifically convened drivers’ assembly within the Qatar paddock, ostensibly to debate driver tips following controversies in Austin and Mexico. Russell conceded that attempting to get constant choices was tough given the fast turnover in personnel.
01:14 PM GMTAnd the drivers’ standings with two rounds to go
Verstappen unassailable now, however nonetheless pretty shut behind him.
McLaren can win the championship this weekend in the event that they outscore Ferrari by 21 factors.
12:58 PM GMTAnd the final time Ferrari gained the constructors’
Clearly a bittersweet championship as a result of it was additionally the day that Felipe Massa misplaced the drivers’ title to Lewis Hamilton. I spoke to Massa’s race engineer on the time Rob Smedley .
12:54 PM GMTThe final time McLaren had been constructors’ champions
12:44 PM GMTHow the 2025 grid traces up
That is what now we have to date, with simply the one seat at RB to be confirmed. In fact, that is topic to some change in any case as a result of one should have critical doubts that Sergio Perez can be in place at Purple Bull at first of 2025.
Just a few full-season rookies in there: Jack Doohan, Gabriel Bortoleto, Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman (it will likely be his first full season, however has raced for Ferrari and Haas in 2024). It might be a disgrace to see Bottas depart F1 however it seems like he’s on GM/Cadillac’s radar for 2026 and can be a protected pair of palms.
12:28 PM GMTGood afternoon
Welcome to our protection for Friday’s motion from the penultimate race of the season – the Qatar Grand Prix in Lusail. Additionally it is the ultimate dash race of six in 2024, which suggests Friday runs with FP1 earlier than dash qualifying takes place below lights this night. Tomorrow now we have the dash race first up earlier than qualifying for the primary race on Saturday. The race, as is usually the case (however not at all times) takes place on Sunday afternoon.
Max Verstappen gained the drivers’ title final weekend in Las Vegas, however there’s nonetheless a championship on the road. McLaren, Ferrari and Purple Bull are all vying for the constructors’ title. Given their current type Purple Bull are an out of doors probability at greatest, however are nonetheless in it mathematically. The extra life like final result is one among McLaren or Ferrari, with the previous main the latter by 24 factors with two grands prix and one dash race remaining.
The constructors’ championship is clearly clearly second to the drivers’ championship in the case of curiosity however there’s status (and cash) related to it. Each outfits have additionally gone a very long time with out this title – Ferrari’s final constructors’ title got here in 2008 while McLaren’s was again in 1998, when Mika Hakkinen gained his first drivers’ title. That’s practically two and a half years earlier than present driver Oscar Piastri was born.
It might undoubtedly imply an unlimited quantity to both workforce to win it. Ferrari, although, come into this weekend just a little downbeat. They did outscore McLaren to shut the hole in Las Vegas however each drivers really feel they didn’t maximise what they may have achieved. And there’s little optimism that they are going to be aggressive on Qatar’s barely uncommon structure this weekend.
In any case, FP1 begins at 1.30pm and we can be right here for the entire updates and newest from Lusail with the dash qualifying (the identical format as qualifying however shorter).
