Cloudy. Small rain. Air +20…17С, highway +29…23С
In 2024, Formula 1 returned to China after a five-year break due to Covid-19, immediately in a new format with a Saturday sprint.
New generation cars with ground effect and 18-inch tires have not yet raced in Shanghai, and there was only one training session under the new rules and it took place on Friday morning – the protocol was led by Lance Stroll, but not everyone had time to get comfortable to be on the smooth asphalt.
During training, Perez damaged his buttocks when he attacked a curb, and the team managed to replace him.
A few hours later, the teams held Friday Qualifying, losing the official name of the Sprint Shootout and becoming simply a Sprint Qualifying.
Pirelli brought three “medium” compositions – C2, C3 and C4 in the Hard, Medium and Soft roles. In the first and second parts of qualifying, each driver received a Medium set and in the final a Soft set.
In the first session It started to rain a little – and stopped almost immediately. The riders rushed to the track, many were bothered by the traffic. Sergio Perez set the best time, completing a lap in 1:36.110. Gasly, Okon, Albon, Tsunoda and Sargent dropped out of the further fight.
At the end of the session, in the fifth corner, as in the first practice, the grass behind the curb caught fire – the cause was said to be sparks coming from under the bottom of the cars.
Start of the second session This caused a delay of a few minutes. The weather radar said rain was coming. The riders rushed to the track again, but in the resulting traffic jam they were unable to get out quickly.
Norris started the fast lap first, Hamilton last, but everyone managed to complete it before the rain. Verstappen was at the top of the protocol. Russell, Magnussen, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo and Stroll did not reach the final.
In the final The track was wet, the riders rode on intermediate tires.
The track quickly became slippery. Almost everyone was eliminated – Norris, Leclerc, Verstappen, Zhou and Hamilton, in the end the best time remained with Norris – 1:57.940.
Lando Norris won qualifying for Saturday’s sprint for the second time in his career. Tomorrow he will share the front row with Hamilton, Alonso and Verstappen will start from the second row, Sainz and Perez will start from third place.
Sprint qualification results
| Pilot | Team | 1 session | Session 2 | Session 3 | ||||||
| M | Time | Kr | M | Time | Kr | M | Time | Kr | ||
| 1. L.Norris | McLaren | 2 | 1:36,384 | 5 | 5 | 1:36,047 | 3 | 1 | 1:57,940 | 5 |
| 2. L.Hamilton | Mercedes | 12 | 1:37,181 | 6 | 9 | 1:36,287 | 4 | 2 | 1:59.201 | 5 |
| 3. F. Alonso | Aston Martin | 7 | 1:36,883 | 6 | 8 | 1:36,119 | 3 | 3 | 1:59,915 | 5 |
| 4. M. Verstappen | Red Bull | 3 | 1:36,456 | 4 | 1 | 1:35,606 | 3 | 4 | 2:00.028 | 5 |
| 5. K. Sainz | Ferrari | 6 | 1:36,719 | 6 | 6 | 1:36,052 | 4 | 5 | 2:00.214 | 5 |
| 6. C. Perez | Red Bull | 1 | 1:36,110 | 4 | 3 | 1:35,781 | 3 | 6 | 2:00.375 | 5 |
| 7. S. Leclerc | Ferrari | 4 | 1:36,537 | 6 | 2 | 1:35,711 | 4 | 7 | 2:00.566 | 5 |
| 8. O. Piastri | McLaren | 5 | 1:36,542 | 7 | 4 | 1:35,853 | 3 | 8 | 2:00,990 | 5 |
| 9. V. Bottas | Sauber | eleven | 1:37.112 | 7 | 7 | 1:36,056 | 4 | 9 | 2:01,044 | 5 |
| 10. G.Zhou | Sauber | 15 | 1:37,544 | 7 | 10 | 1:36,307 | 4 | 10 | 2:03.537 | 5 |
| 11. D. Russell | Mercedes | 13 | 1:37,310 | 6 | eleven | 1:36,345 | 4 | |||
| 12. K.Magnussen | Hare | 10 | 1:37.033 | 6 | 12 | 1:36,473 | 4 | |||
| 13. N. Hulkenberg | Hare | 8 | 1:36,924 | 6 | 13 | 1:36,478 | 4 | |||
| 14. D. Ricciardo | RB | 14 | 1:37.321 | 6 | 14 | 1:36,553 | 3 | |||
| 15. L. Walk | Aston Martin | 9 | 1:36,961 | 5 | 15 | 1:36,677 | 3 | |||
| 16. P. Gasly | Alps | 16 | 1:37,632 | 6 | ||||||
| 17. E.Okon | Alps | 17 | 1:37,720 | 6 | ||||||
| 18. A. Elbon | Williams | 18 | 1:37,812 | 6 | ||||||
| 19. Yu.Tsunoda | RB | 19 | 1:37,892 | 6 | ||||||
| 20. L. Sargent | Williams | 20 | 1:37.923 | 6 | ||||||
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
