Here is our full text transcript from the qualifying session for the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit:
It’s Friday evening. It’s an F1 Sprint weekend. And it’s nearly time for Qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix! If you’re still getting into the swing and rythem of Sprint weekends, then don’t worry – we’re here to guide you all the way through the weekend. We had opening practice at Qatar’s Losail International Circuit a little while ago and now we’re beginning build-up to the Qualifying hour for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen – yes, him again – was fastest in the sole practice session a few hours ago but things were rather tricky on track for all drivers, with gusty conditions and a low-grip sandy surface repeatedly seeing drivers – including the world champion himself – run off circuit. It should be quite a fun hour of qualifying, with the lights now going on around Losail as night-time draws in in the Middle East.
The air temperature at the Losail International Circuit has dipped just below 32 degrees Celsius, while the track temperature is just above 35.2. That’s quite significantly cooler than when Practice started with the sun beginning to set earlier today. The big question is how the change in temperature will impact the setups teams have locked in after just 60 minutes of running.
Normal rules apply, so five drivers are eliminated in Q1 and another five in Q2 before the top 10 drivers battle it out for pole position. Tomorrow, there is another qualifying known as the Sprint Shootout, which will set the grid for the Sprint Race later on Saturday. For now though, treat the upcoming 60 minutes like a normal Saturday qualifying.
Here we go then for Friday night qualifying. Track evolution will be huge and there is still some sand on some parts of the track as well. The Alpine drivers keep finding themselves in rather close company at the moment…Anyway, it’s a busy start here in Q1 with everyone but Hulkenberg on track so far. The Mercedes’ have started on medium tyres, interestingly, with everyone else on softs.
15 mins to go in Q1: Max Verstappen sets the time to beat and it’s a 1:26.804 which is already quicker than the time from practice earlier today. Lando Norris goes fastest but has his lap time deleted for track limits. It’s Charles Leclerc from Fernando Alonso an Oscar Piastri in the top three. Verstappen goes second again, 0.044s down on Leclerc.
9 mins to go in Q1: Fernando Alonso puts in a very strong lap as the times continue to tumble. It might still not be good enough though since the track evolution is very significant.
Hamilton and Russell back in the pits without a time on the board and now have returned to the track on the softs like everyone else. Seven minutes to go to get out of the drop zone in Q1. Lando Norris is also down in 18th there thanks to his lap-time deletion. He’s in the pits. George Russell goes second and Lewis Hamilton slots into third, so Mercedes fans can breathe a sigh or relief for now. Charles Leclerc is now fastest and Sergio Perez crucially jumps from 13th to fourth. Lots of personal best sectors out there right now.
1 min to go in Q1: Underlining how the pace is absolutely ramping up, Max Verstappen had been down to 13th – but he’s now vaulted back into P1. Lando Norris is second fastest, with Fernando Alonso third.
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Chequered flag: Alex Albon knocks his team-mate Logan Sargeant out of qualifying with a last ditch effort! Just 0.092s separates the pair in Albon’s favour and he keeps his unbeaten record in the qualifying head-to-head.
And away we go for Q2! All cars are trundling out onto the track on soft tyres. A fourth successive Q1 exit for Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin and he certainly didn’t look happy as he made his way out of the team’s garage.
Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson are under investigation for failing to follow the race directors instructions about the maximum lap time. This regards the speeds they were doing on slow down laps, suggesting they may have been going too slowly. They will be investigated after qualifying.
10 mins to go in Q2: Charles Leclerc sets a very good lap to go fastest by nearly four tenths from Oscar Piastri. But Max Verstappen is back at the top of the time sheets, with most drivers on used tyres. Pierre Gasly is second for Alpine.
7 mins to go in Q2: That’s a rather better start for the two Mercedes’. Russell goes second to Verstappen, 0.2s behind, with Hamilton a further couple of tenths back. Gasly is fourth for AlphaTauri with Fernando Alonso fifth. Tyre life usage has been a bit mixed through the Q2 field so far so let’s see how it shakes out.
4 mins to go in Q2: Carlos Sainz aborts his lap after having a big twitch at Turn 4. Charles Leclerc has a similar moment and does the same thing. Sainz is 13th right now with Leclerc in sixth. It’s going to be a frantic finish to Q2. Oscar Piastri and then Lando Norris in turn go fastest to well and truly haul themselves out of trouble. Lando’s new benchmark is 1:24.695, with Piastri within half a tenth behind him. Verstappen also within a tenth in third. The McLarens have now pushed Alpine’s Ocon and Williams’ Albon into the drop zone.
Unfortunately Carlos Sainz was knocked out of qualifying in Q2. There’s a shocker for Red Bull and Ferrari: it’s 12th for Carlos Sainz and 13th for Sergio Perez. Perez had his final lap-time deleted, which would have been just good enough for Q3, while Carlos seemingly didn’t have the speed!
It’s been a clean qualifying so far and it’s go for Q3. 9 mins to go in Q3: The wind continues to catch the drivers out – with Charles Leclerc the latest. He’s had to abort his opening effort after running a little wide. The gauntlet has well and truly been thrown says Karun Chandhok as Max Verstappen goes fastest by six tenths from George Russell. Lewis Hamilton just pips George Russell to get onto the front row for now. Oscar Piastri is fourth and Charles Leclerc is fifth.
3 mins to go in Q3: Red Bull take the initiative and Verstappen leads the field back on track – weary of any yellow or red flags.
Chequered Flag: There’s that McLaren pace – Lando Norris goes back into second fastest and a provisional front-row slot behind Max Verstappen. George Russell improves to third but Lewis Hamilton backs out, so it looks like the Mercedes will be on the second row. Verstappen doesn’t even need to do another lap as he takes pole position from Norris by 0.296s. George Russell will start Sunday’s Grand Prix from third and Oscar Piastri goes fourth with his last effort. Lewis Hamilton is fifth from Fernando Alonso in sixth. Charles Leclerc had to settle for P7.
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