Lando Norris Takes Pole Over Verstappen in Spain

Lando Norris squeaked by to take pole away from Max Verstappen today in Q3 beating out the dutchman by 2 one hundredths of a second. Both drivers completed 12 laps in qualifying. After a seemingly positive FP1 the Ferrari’s fell backward on pace in Q3 finishing P5 and P6. After Sergio Perez’s penalty from last weekends mishap after he drove a malfunctioning car on track in an irresponsible manner. He will start P11 after qualifying P8 prior to the penalty.

Words From Lando Norris

Norris said, “I’m super, super happy. We’ve been close to the front all weekend, but needed to have a perfect lap, and I think we delivered that. We’ve been quick for the last two months, and we’ve probably missed a pole by not having that perfect lap. Today, for the final run, we made a few changes, found some places to make tiny improvements and it all worked out.

“We’re in a great position to convert pole into a victory but it’s going to be incredibly tough against Max, against Lewis and everyone behind them – but we’ve been strong since Miami, we’re here to win, and that’s definitely the target.” 

Spanish Grand Prix Qualifying Results

Lewis Hamilton drove his Mercedes to the top spot on day one of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. The Mercedes topped the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and the Mclaren of Lando Norris in FP2 with championship point leader Max Verstappen finishing 5th fastest in the session. Hamilton said, “FP1 wasn’t the best session for us but we still learned quite a lot. FP2 was a lot better though and the car was feeling great. The track was very hot, so it was tough on the tyres, especially on the long run. Overall, though, it didn’t feel like we were too far off being right in the mix at the front.
 
We have taken a step forward with the car in recent races. Everyone has worked so hard to get us to this point and make those incremental gains. We’ve got a clear direction of where we want to go moving forward too. We’re starting to see that feed through to our performance on track. Hopefully we can continue the momentum from today into Saturday and get closer to our competitors ahead.”

FP3 is up next before the sole qualifying session of the weekend.

FP2 Results from the Spanish Grand Prix

The Canadian grand Prix was full of spectacle as the race progressed from a wet race to dry conditions. George Russell started on pole in the race and would hold the lead for the first 18 laps. On Lap 19 Verstappen finally found a gap to get past and he would lead the race for the rest of the afternoon. As the track dried tire calls became the deciding factor for the outcome of the race.

Charles Leclerc Pits for Slicks Early

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari made the call to be early adopters of the slicks but it proved to be the wrong call and Leclerc quickly fell behind in the pecking order all the way to the back of the grid. He pitted again to put intermediates and with an attempt to fight back but ultimately retired on lap 43 of the race. He said, “The bottom line today is that the engine issue is what compromised our race.

We were losing substantial lap time compared to the other cars, so we tried to go on slicks, knowing that it was our only chance to try to finish in the points. There was nothing to lose and I’ve got no regrets on that…This one hurts and it’s a big loss of points for the team with both of us unable to finish. We will look into the issue we had to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Red Bull Again Sees Positives and Negatives

Max Verstappen secured his 60th win after fighting from the front row after qualifying P2; setting the same time as Russell. Max Verstappen stayed patient and waiting for his time to strike to secure another win for Red Bull. Sergio Perez on the other hand again DNF the grand prix. The Canadian Grand Prix is the first race after Red Bull has announced that Sergio Perez has signed a new two year contract. Unfortunately for Perez a mistake on lap 54 cost him yet another opportunity to score points. Perez is limiting Red Bull’s ability to build the dominant lead they had in 2023 at this point in the season. While Red Bull still netted a positive point gain over second place rivals Ferrari who’s double no points finish didn’t do them any favors. Red Bull knows that both cars should be finishing in the top 3 in every race.

Mercedes Revived?

Mercedes pulled of a P3 and P4 finish netting the team 28 points after Hamilton set the fastest lap for the bonus point. George Russell who started from pole was disappointed in the finish despite it being the first podium of the year. Russell said,

I’m disappointed with myself today. I made too many errors that set us back and cost us a chance of victory. I was really pushing the limits out there. That said, it feels great to be disappointed with P3. We’ve made small steps over the past few races and to come to Canada, get pole position and a podium is really encouraging. We’ve been one of the fastest cars on track all weekend, so we’ve definitely made progress. There are many positives to take away from here.
 
The conditions were incredibly challenging out there. Put a wheel even one millimetre off line and you would be in trouble. “Unfortunately, the errors I made came with consequences as it let other cars past. Other drivers made errors too, but they didn’t come at the same cost. We were still able to battle back to the podium though with the pace we had. We will continue to work hard, develop the car, and I’m looking forward to heading to Barcelona.”

His teammate Lewis Hamilton said, “We scored some good points for the team today. We’re also looking like we’ve made a step closer to the front this weekend which is really encouraging. Thank you so much to everyone at Brackley and Brixworth who has worked so hard to deliver our recent updates. It has moved us in the right direction, and we will continue to put the effort in to continue that progress.
 
On my side, it wasn’t the best weekend. We had the pace to be fighting higher up but we ultimately ended up with P4. I’ll go away and work out what I need to do to come back stronger. I made too many mistakes overall but the positive I will take away is the performance of the car.”

Full Race Result – Canadian Grand Prix 2024

Note – Hamilton scored an additional point for setting the fastest lap of the race.

In what was a statistical anomaly George Russell claimed pole after setting a 1:12.000 laps time in Q3 which was followed by Max Verstappen setting the exact same lap time. Russell claimed pole position for Sunday’s race because he set the time first. Its a very rare occurrence for two drivers to have matching lap times in qualifying. In addition, Lando Norris was right within striking distance finishing just 0.021s behind Verstappen and Russell. It’s clear that the competition at the top is starting to shake up as the drivers seem to get closer and closer to matching the pace of Verstappen’s Red Bull.

Sergio Perez Out in Q1

Sergio perez had yet another Q1 exit in qualifying. After Perez just inked a 2 year contract extension with Red Bull he will have his work cut out for him to stay in the good graces of the team. To add insult to injury Daniel Ricciardo finished P5 in qualifying which is his best finish in qualifying thus far this season.

He said, “I’m very pleased about today. It’s been a really good weekend, a lot of fun, and one of those ones where everything’s just feeling good. We are less than two-tenths from pole, and even if it’s not today’s case, sometimes this means being on the front row, so it’s nice being competitive and feeling comfortable in the car. In Q3 it was very important to have a fast warm-up lap and this is what I told the team. I did it and then had the right confidence for the push lap.

It was nice to put the lap together, but I’m not surprised, I know when I feel like this, I can do these things. I’m happy that I was able to get it out of myself, but happy and credit to the team, both cars going into Q3 and happy to reward them with a very nice result. I always feel something special coming here to Montréal and I’ve got good memories: exactly ten years ago I got my first win here and my life changed. Also, the team feels there’s some good energy this weekend, so happy to convert that into some good driving. Tomorrow, we start in a good spot inside the top 5, with some good front-running guys around me, so I’ll get the best out of myself during the race.”

Ferrari Left Wondering What Happened in Canada

After Ferrari found a brief stroke of recent success, in Canadian Grand Prix qualifying the Ferraris failed to come alive. Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz failed to make the cut for Q3. Team principal Fred Vasseur said, “Everyone in the team is rather frustrated at the way today’s qualifying went. Today, since FP3, we were lacking something a little bit everywhere, even if yesterday it seemed we were going pretty well and the pace was there over a long run in both wet and dry conditions.

I think everyone was struggling a bit with tires, to the point that even Russell’s pole position was obtained on a scrubbed set, but we struggled more than others and we were unable to put everything together to switch on the tires at the right moment. We will now analyze everything  very carefully but we must keep our spirits up and remember that the points are given out tomorrow.

As for the race, we will have to wait and see what the weather has in store because it’s the big unknown. I remember that last year here we also started from far back and we managed to move up the order.” 

Full Qualifying Results for the Canadian Grand Prix

From hail to rain was the story in Montreal as the weather punished the paddock in Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Montréal today for FP1 and FP2. Conditions were far from ideal in FP1 with the entire grid running in the 1:24+ lap times. However, in FP2 Fernando Alonso set the tone ahead of George Russell by setting a 1m15.810s lap time to top day one of Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

Championship leader Max Verstappen had spoke over the team radio about smelling smoke coming from somewhere in his RB20. He immediately retired from the session for the mechanics to investigate. Charles Leclerc caught attention from the stewards who noted an incident where Leclerc left the pits with intermediate tires on without the session being declared a wet session. Further investigation is undergoing review currently.

In Third was Lance Stroll, a surprising finish for the Aston martin driver but nothing to judge the weekend by as many of the driver were testing different tire management strategies while withhold true qualifying pace. FP3 kicks off tomorrow where we will have a better idea of where the cars stand heading into Qualifying.

Full Canadian Grand Prix FP2 Results

Charles Leclerc became the first Monegasque winner of the Monaco Grand Prix since 1931s triumph by Louis Chiron. Leclerc led the race from the front after qualifying on pole and never looked back. The race was eventful at the start behind with multiple cars exiting the race after the first two sectors. By the end of lap 1 the race had been red flagged due to a crash between the two Haas cars and Sergio Perez. Additionally, Carlos Sainz also had an off after over running his breaks in sector 1 which ultimately also was attributed to a steering issue.

All Leclerc at the Front

After the race restarted it was all Leclerc at the front of the pack. He was never really threatened given the protections afforded to him from Monaco. It is one of the most difficult track for overtakes and qualifying usually dictates where you will finish in the race. After the race he stated, “

“This year he was much more relaxed from the beginning. From Lap 1 of FP1 he did a fantastic weekend, he was always flying. Even when we had the issue in Q1 with a plastic bag [going] into the front wing and we had to pit, we lost two or three laps in a row with this. But he was able to stay very calm – we could have been out in Q1. He was very in control from the beginning. Today in the race I think that it was perhaps not from an outside point of view the most exciting race of the season, but we knew after the red flag we had to do 76 laps with the same set of tires.

Charles Leclerc Continued with his Post Race Comments on the Win

“No words can explain that. It’s such a difficult race. I think the fact that twice I’ve been starting in pole position and couldn’t quite make it, makes it even better in a way. It means a lot, obviously. It’s the race that made me dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver one day. So yeah, it was a difficult race emotionally because already 15 laps to the end, you’re just hoping that nothing happens. Already the emotions were coming. I have to say that I was thinking to my dad a lot more. It was a dream of ours for me to race here and to win, so it’s unbelievable.”

After the topping the charts in FP3 Charles Leclerc came out in Q3 with a vengeance. After Verstappen topped Q2 it had seemed that he was firing up his tires to finishing Q3 on a flyer. However, Verstappen’s first sector pace on his final lap was sub par and then he made contact with the wall as the clock expired rendering his qualifying over due to lack of time. Leclerc built a gap on his first flying lap that was the benchmark to beat and then he added even more of a cushion towards the end of qualifying. Oscar Piastri finished P2 and Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz finished P3.

Ferrari Triumphs, Red Bull Falls, McLarens Are in the Fight

Ferrari is sitting in a positive position after qualifying with a car on both the first and second row for tomorrow’s 78 laps race. Given that overtaking opportunities at Monaco are rare if the Ferrari’s can avoid mechanical issues and put together a solid pit strategy they should be able to run away at the front.

Red Bull on the other had will have a major uphill climb. Sergio Perez Exited in Q1 finishing 18th fastest. Verstappen dropped down to P6 by the end of the session failing to make the top 5. On the benefitting side were the McLarens who climb ever so close to being the fastest car on grid. Lando Norris finished P4 and Oscar Piastri finished P2 in the session. The McLarens are looking to make a statement in Monaco after a successful outing at the Emilia Romagna GP.

Tsunoda Out Performs Ricciardo…Again

Daniel Ricciardo’s days at Red Bull are numbered. The once Monaco GP winner has struggled to find harmony with his RB and the pressure is building for him to perform. Liam Lawson waits patiently for another shot at getting back to the F1 grid and to make matters worse Ricciardo’s teammate Tsunoda is in a world of his own having out qualified and scored Ricciardo thus far this season. Tsunoda has been a source of consistency for the RB team. He’s consistently in Q3 and scoring points. We don’t know how much longer RB can justify keeping Ricciardo when the on track results just aren’t there. Tsunoda will start P8 the first car from a team outside of the top 4 in the constructors race on the grid. Ricciardo didn’t make it out of Q2 and will start P13.

The 78 lap race kicks off tomorrow. Ricciardo will need some magic if he’s going to score points. The Monaco GP is notorious for being decided during qualifying.

Monaco Qualifying Results

After topping day one of practice home town hero, Monégasque driver Charles Leclerc again topped the tables in FP3. The Ferrari of Leclerc came alive in practice however Ferrari has been in this position before. At Monaco it all comes down to qualifying and the simplest mistake can have major implications for Sunday’s race. Verstappen was 2 tenths off of the pace of Leclerc suggesting that Verstappen may not be as dominant in Monaco as Red Bull had anticipated.

FP3 Results from Monaco

Formula 1 returns this weekend for back to back action this weekend in the legendary city of Monaco. The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most iconic races on the F1 calendar. A win in Monaco is one of the greatest achievements a driver can attain in the world of motorsport. Given the street circuit’s tight technical topography; only the best drivers can make it the full 78 laps. With just 36 overtakes taking place in last years race qualifying is of the utmost importance.

In this year’s 70th rendition of the race Lando Norris who has found a stroke of confidence and pace is looking to bring the fight to the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. The two are close friends off the track but its very clear that Norris has no reservations when it comes to taking the top spot. Norris said, “I would love it… But I want to win every race, not just Monaco or that kind of thing. We’re focused, we’re in good spirits. Of course, the motivation and the energy is very high from the team, because we’ve had some great results lately. If we keep it up, there’s always a chance.”

When asked if he thought McLaren would have the fastest car on the grid this weekend Norris replied saying: “I have no idea. I have no idea. It’s such a different track to what we’ve had all season, no one can say whether we’re going to be the best or not. I think we have a car that’s competitive and up there, fighting with Red Bull and Ferrari like we’ve shown over the last few weekends. But anything can happen in Monaco, so we’re just kind of keeping our head down as normal, we work as hard as we can, and that’s all I ask for.”

Recent rumors of an exit for young talent Yuki Tsunoda and his current post at RB have surfaced over the last week. Tsunoda is thoguht to be considering his options as Red Bull has not yet made a long term commitment to Tsunoda taking the second seat in the first team camp. However Red Bull’s indecision is leaving Tsunoda considering other options. In an interview with Racing News365 he said, “We’ll see. I think, obviously, especially when I’m in Red Bull, you want to always aim for Red Bull. But if they don’t want me, or they’re not expecting me [to be] into the seat… if I’ve got an interesting offer that could be better than even RB or Red Bull, yeah, I’ll think about it. I also have a big loyalty to Red Bull as without them I wouldn’t be here. And obviously Honda as well. And speaking of Honda, maybe Aston Martin… [as a future option for him].”

Tsunoda has heavily put performed his teammate Daniel Ricciardo whom was seemingly on his way out at RB due to a lack of performance. Tsunoda currently has triple the number of points as Ricciardo however Ricciardo’s name continues to come up in discussion regarding the number 2 seat at Red Bull. Red Bull have a dilemma on their hands. The clock is ticking and this is one case where Red Bull need to be decisive.