Norris’ lap was briefly removed for exceeding track limits, giving Lewis Hamilton hope of securing pole position. However, the McLaren driver’s lap was reinstated, thus securing pole position for him.
Hamilton had to settle for second place, which is not a bad result considering the recent struggles of the seven-time F1 champion and his underperforming Mercedes W15.
Fernando Alonso, driving for Aston Martin, achieved the third fastest time, showcasing the value of his experience on a day when even the best drivers were caught off guard by the rain. Max Verstappen, on the other hand, had a disappointing performance and finished in fourth place after struggling on the wet track.
Managing the session was challenging due to the constantly evolving and green track. Ideally, the drivers would have waited until the track was at its most evolved state before setting a lap time. However, there was also the risk of encountering yellow/red flags and rain.
In the end, rain played a decisive role, making the return of the Chinese Grand Prix to the F1 calendar an exciting spectacle.
LANDO NORRIS CLAIMS #F1SPRINT POLE POSITION!!
The scenes in Shanghai were truly extraordinary 🤯#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/3oEWFIVVxY
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 19, 2024
Speaking after qualifying, Norris expressed his immense satisfaction, thanking the entire team. He acknowledged the challenges posed by the unpredictable weather conditions, stating that he had to take risks and push to build tire temperature. Although he faced some difficulties with the Ferraris, he managed to deliver a strong final lap.
Norris emphasized his satisfaction with his performance, despite the unconventional nature of the qualifying session. He acknowledged that he had to make the most of the three available laps, aborting the first two and giving it his all on the final lap. However, the increasingly wet conditions made it more challenging, causing him to make some mistakes and suffer from aquaplaning.
When asked about his prospects in the Sprint race, Norris admitted that he couldn’t predict the outcome. He highlighted the team’s efforts to understand the consecutive laps completed during the morning practice session. The weather conditions would play a significant role, but Norris expressed confidence in both wet and dry conditions, emphasizing the good pace of the car and his own comfort behind the wheel.
Overall, Norris was pleased with his position and believed the team had performed admirably, preparing them for a competitive race.
The final phase of the Sprint qualifying began under rainy conditions, requiring the use of intermediate tires.
Shortly after the start, Charles Leclerc had a spin when he accelerated and collided with the barriers. He expressed concern about his front wing through radio communication. Meanwhile, a replay revealed that Verstappen also went off track as the drivers struggled with the treacherous weather conditions.
Verstappen’s initial lap was invalidated for exceeding track limits at Turn 6. Both Verstappen and Hamilton had less than three minutes remaining to set another lap. Verstappen went off track again on his second attempt, while Norris had a significant incident on the final corner during a promising lap. Consequently, their lap times were deleted.
Despite all drivers using intermediate tires, including Leclerc and Verstappen, nobody managed to find enough grip on the track.
In the end, Norris set the fastest lap time of 1:57.940, beating Hamilton by 1.261 seconds, with Alonso in third place, 1.975 seconds behind the leader.
Verstappen secured the fourth fastest time with 2:00.028, two seconds behind Norris and ahead of Carlos Sainz by 0.186 seconds, who finished fifth in the Ferrari.
Sergio Perez recorded the sixth fastest time in the other Red Bull, ahead of Leclerc, who finished seventh in Ferrari #16.
Oscar Piastri achieved the eighth fastest time in the other McLaren, although team boss Andrea Stella revealed that the Australian had a brief gearbox issue that disrupted his final lap. This was unfortunate as Piastri had been performing well up to that point.
Valtteri Bottas secured the ninth fastest time, while local favorite Zhou Guanyu achieved his best performance of the year, finishing in tenth to the delight of Chinese spectators.
As the rain intensified and a fire was extinguished at Turn 5, Q2 began. The drivers quickly went out on track with medium compound tires in an attempt to set a dry time before the weather worsened.
Magnussen received radio communication informing him that the rain would not intensify until five minutes into the ten-minute session.
After forming a queue in the pitlane, the cars ventured out onto the track, with Norris leading the pack. The Red Bull drivers, on the other hand, took their time and left their garages when their rivals were already on track.
After the initial laps, the top ten positions were occupied by Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez, Piastri, Norris, Sainz, Bottas, Alonso, Hamilton, and Zhou.
With two minutes remaining, the rain arrived, preventing further improvements. Russell was the most affected, as he initially reached the 11th fastest time, but was unable to make another attempt due to the worsening weather conditions.
Verstappen led the way to SQ3 with a time of 1:35.606, ahead of Leclerc by 0.105 seconds and Perez in third place, behind the Ferrari by 0.070 seconds.
Zhou’s qualification for SQ3 sparked an enthusiastic response from the local crowd.
Zhou gave Chinese fans a reason to celebrate by securing a spot in SQ3, leaving Russell as the first of the non-qualified drivers. Russell will start from 11th position on the grid, missing out by just 0.038 seconds.
Kevin Magnussen achieved the 12th fastest time, trailing Russell by 0.128 seconds and surpassing teammate Nico Hulkenberg by 0.005 seconds, who finished in 13th place.
Daniel Ricciardo also failed to advance, finishing as the 14th fastest, but managed to outperform his teammate for the first time. Additionally, he finished ahead of Lance Stroll, who came in 15th place.
The session began in dry conditions, although there was a 60% chance of rain. The track temperature reached 29 degrees Celsius, while the ambient temperature was 20 degrees.
According to the regulations, drivers could only use the medium compound in SQ1 and SQ2, resulting in all cars being equipped with yellow Pirelli tires.
Without wasting time, the drivers lined up in the pitlane, eagerly awaiting the green light at the pit lane exit to start the action on the track.
Just three minutes after the start of the session, Piastri in the McLaren reported raindrops, while Russell asked his team to inform him if any driver was “going off track” as the rain intensified.
📻 Reports of raindrops
Definitely not sweat this time 😅 #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/eacNPIjjSH
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 19, 2024
As the drivers completed laps, lap times gradually decreased due to better grip on the track. Each driver aimed to set competitive lap times in case the rain intensified.
Logan Sargeant complained of being hindered by Pierre Gasly in the Alpine, with the latter having a brief moment of loss of control moments later in the final corner.
In addition to minor adjustments to their cars, the drivers remained on the track, completing laps continuously. As the tires improved and the track became more grippy, lap times decreased.
Sainz promptly reported Kevin Magnussen’s Haas for obstructing him on the racing line, requesting a penalty for the Danish driver.
In the end, Perez led the pack into SQ2, securing the fastest time, 0.274 seconds ahead of Norris in second place. Verstappen finished third, trailing his teammate by 0.346 seconds.
Gasly was the first to be eliminated, finishing 16th in the Alpine, followed by Esteban Ocon, who was 0.088 seconds behind in 17th place. Alex Albon finished 18th in the Williams.
Yuki Tsunoda finished 19th, while Ricciardo managed to advance to the next stage. Sargeant once again found himself in last place.
As the cars were returning to the pits, a fire broke out, this time in the grass next to Turn five. How peculiar!
© 2024
The rivalry between the two most popular football teams in São Paulo, Corinthians and Palmeiras, reached a new level last Sunday. The derby, which took place at Corinthians’ stadium, was marked by a widespread fight among fans before the start of the match.
According to reports, the confusion started when Palmeiras fans invaded the area designated for Corinthians fans and began physical confrontations. The police had to intervene and use tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Despite the incident, the match was played and Corinthians won 2-1. The goals were scored by Gustavo Mosquito and Jô, while Deyverson scored for Palmeiras. The result left Corinthians in the lead of the state championship, while Palmeiras dropped to third place.
The rivalry between Corinthians and Palmeiras is known as the “Paulista Derby” and is considered one of the biggest in Brazilian football. The matches between the two teams are usually marked by a lot of emotion and tension.
The fight between fans last Sunday reignited the debate about violence in football stadiums. Authorities and sports officials are seeking solutions to prevent this type of incident in the future and ensure the safety of fans.
It is important to emphasize that the majority of fans are passionate about their team and go to stadiums to support and cheer for the team. Violence between fans is an isolated behavior and does not represent the essence of football.
We hope that authorities take effective measures to curb violence in stadiums and that fans can enjoy the sport in a peaceful and safe manner. Football is a national passion and should be a source of joy and unity, not conflict and violence.
