2024 F1 Qatar GP: Charles Leclerc fastest from Lando Norris in only practice at Lusail circuit. Charles Leclerc was fastest on the opening day of track action in Lusail.

Charles Leclerc emerged as the fastest driver in the sole free practice session for the Qatar Grand Prix. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri came close to challenging Charles Leclerc’s benchmark but ultimately fell short, trailing by less than two-tenths of a second. This sets the stage for an intense battle between Ferrari and McLaren as they vie for dominance in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship over the final two race weekends of the season.

Carlos Sainz secured the fourth-best time, followed by Yuki Tsunoda and Valtteri Bottas, who rounded out the top six. Last weekend’s winner, George Russell, finished in 8th position. Meanwhile, World Champion Max Verstappen could only manage 11th, just behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton. Sergio Perez struggled further, ending the session down in 18th place.

 What unfolded during Qatar’s FP1?
Qatar is hosting its second and final sprint race weekend of the season, a format that compresses preparation time. With only 60 minutes of practice available, teams had limited opportunity to fine-tune their setups ahead of sprint qualifying later on Friday. The sprint race itself will take place on Saturday, serving as the prelude to Sunday’s main event, which begins at 16:00 GMT, following qualifying at 18:00 GMT the previous day.

The Losail Circuit, notorious for its technical challenges, saw several drivers test the limits by dipping their tyres into gravel and run-off areas, particularly at turn five. Despite these minor excursions, no major incidents disrupted the session, and the first half-hour unfolded under largely clear conditions. Leclerc topped the charts early on, using harder tyres than most of the field—a choice that skewed the competitive picture. His best lap placed him nearly two-tenths ahead of Verstappen.

As the session progressed, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz remained on hard tyres, consistently pushing the limits of their Ferraris. Carlos Sainz eventually climbed to P2 with about 25 minutes remaining, even briefly surpassing Leclerc to claim the fastest time. Norris, showing solid form, moved into P3, while Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was notably impressed by McLaren’s performance. Over team radio, Perez remarked, *“That McLaren is flying.”* Red Bull, chasing McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship standings, faces an uphill battle as Ferrari also remains a serious contender in this tight three-way fight.

Ferrari’s session strategy included crucial tyre preparation, with both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz running medium compounds to simulate race conditions. Williams was the first team to fully exploit the soft tyres, with Alex Albon leaping into P3 despite teammate Franco Colapinto making a small error in the middle sector. As drivers switched to soft tyres, the pecking order began to shift. However, Ferrari reasserted their dominance, with Leclerc ultimately securing the top spot, showcasing their potential pace heading into the pivotal weekend.

Here are the full results from FP1 at the F1 2024 Qatar GP.

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