(Photo: Formula 1)
Lando Norris will start from pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Briton leading team mate Oscar Piastri to secure a McLaren front row lockout on a weekend where the squad are hoping to clinch a long-awaited constructors’ title.
After Max Verstappen initially set a time strong enough for provisional pole during the first runs of Q3, it was Norris who surged ahead during the decisive final laps on an effort of 1m 22.595s, putting him 0.209s clear of Piastri.
Carlos Sainz was third for Ferrari, while Nico Hulkenberg grabbed a sensational fourth in his last event for Haas. Verstappen ultimately had to settle for fifth, ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in sixth and the Mercedes of George Russell in seventh.
Fernando Alonso took P8 for Aston Martin, just beating Valtteri Bottas whose progression to Q3 earned applause from the Kick Sauber team, while Sergio Perez completed the top 10 in the Red Bull.
FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2024 – Qualifying Results
|
POS |
NO |
DRIVER |
CAR |
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
4 |
Lando Norris |
McLaren Mercedes |
1:23.682 |
1:23.098 |
1:22.595 |
16 |
|
2 |
81 |
Oscar Piastri |
McLaren Mercedes |
1:23.640 |
1:23.199 |
1:22.804 |
16 |
|
3 |
55 |
Carlos Sainz |
Ferrari |
1:23.487 |
1:22.985 |
1:22.824 |
16 |
|
4 |
27 |
Nico Hulkenberg |
Haas Ferrari |
1:23.722 |
1:23.040 |
1:22.886 |
17 |
|
5 |
1 |
Max Verstappen |
Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT |
1:23.516 |
1:22.998 |
1:22.945 |
15 |
|
6 |
10 |
Pierre Gasly |
Alpine Renault |
1:23.548 |
1:23.086 |
1:22.984 |
18 |
|
7 |
63 |
George Russell |
Mercedes |
1:23.678 |
1:23.283 |
1:23.132 |
19 |
|
8 |
14 |
Fernando Alonso |
Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes |
1:23.794 |
1:23.268 |
1:23.196 |
19 |
|
9 |
77 |
Valtteri Bottas |
Kick Sauber Ferrari |
1:23.481 |
1:23.341 |
1:23.204 |
15 |
|
10 |
11 |
Sergio Perez |
Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT |
1:23.559 |
1:23.379 |
1:23.264 |
18 |
|
11 |
22 |
Yuki Tsunoda |
RB Honda RBPT |
1:23.735 |
1:23.419 |
|
12 |
|
12 |
30 |
Liam Lawson |
RB Honda RBPT |
1:23.733 |
1:23.472 |
|
12 |
|
13 |
18 |
Lance Stroll |
Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes |
1:23.729 |
1:23.784 |
|
14 |
|
14 |
16 |
Charles Leclerc |
Ferrari |
1:23.302 |
1:23.833 |
|
12 |
|
15 |
20 |
Kevin Magnussen |
Haas Ferrari |
1:23.632 |
1:23.877 |
|
11 |
|
16 |
23 |
Alexander Albon |
Williams Mercedes |
1:23.821 |
|
|
6 |
|
17 |
24 |
Zhou Guanyu |
Kick Sauber Ferrari |
1:23.880 |
|
|
6 |
|
18 |
44 |
Lewis Hamilton |
Mercedes |
1:23.887 |
|
|
7 |
|
19 |
43 |
Franco Colapinto |
Williams Mercedes |
1:23.912 |
|
|
6 |
|
20 |
61 |
Jack Doohan |
Alpine Renault |
1:24.105 |
|
|
6 |
Charles Leclerc’s session came to an end in Q2 when his pace-setting final time was deleted for track limits, putting him in P14, which will become a back-of-the-grid start owing to a 10-place grid penalty given on Friday.
Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson failed to progress for RB in 11th and 12th, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll also departed Q2 in 13th and Kevin Magnussen was 15th in his last weekend racing for Haas.
The big news from Q1 was that Lewis Hamilton suffered an early exit in his final qualifying session for Mercedes, the seven-time world champion ending the day in P18 after hitting a loose bollard that had been knocked onto the track by Magnussen.
Also eliminated were Alex Albon for Williams in 16th, Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu in 17th, the other Williams of Franco Colapinto in 19th and Alpine’s Jack Doohan ended his first F1 qualifying session in 20th position.
Formula 1 Media | Photo: Formula 1
