We are back at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the 2023 Spanish GP Qualifying. After Fridays practice sessions, Saturday is kicked off with Practice 3 and of course, the qualifying in preparation for the race tomorrow.
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A quick change to the track has meant the last chicane has changed to two fast right handers, back to how the track was in 2006 and prior. Moving away from street circuits and back to the traditional track race we had no doubt about this qualifying session.
Q1 – Disappointment for Ferrari
Q1 kicked off with a question of the weather due to light drizzle as the cars prepared to drive on the track.
With cars adjusting to track conditions a red flag was called almost a minute into the session after Valteri Bottas had slid off track into the gravel, causing gravel on the track. In the same minute we saw Tsunoda Albon and Alonso also go off track and into the gravel – but no car or driver had serious damage.
After the red flag restart, we saw another Alpha Tauri heading into the gravel but again no serious damage, just a clear team wide issue of grip on the track.
Q1 saw last years pole sitter Charles Leclerc out in Q1, which has been his first Q1 outing since Monaco 2019. The radio we heard indicated some rear problems whether that was with the suspension or the tyres we will keep you informed through our socials @joinef1. The monegasque will definitely be disappoint by this result.
Gasly has been noted by the stewards for impeding Max Verstappen and a decision will be made after the qualifying session. He had also previously impeded Carlos Sainz but as of now that is not being looked at by the Stewards.
Q1 ended with Perez surprising being the driver at risk and Hamilton leading with a 1:12.937 lap.
The drivers out in Q1 – were Sargent in P20 followed by Leclerc and then the other Williams of Albon in P18, followed by Kevin Magnussen and Valeri Bottas.
Q2 – Mercedes Mayhem
Q2 saw a slow start compared to Q1 but a fantastic show from Hamilton and Verstappen but a disappointing result for their teammates.
The red bull of Sergio Perez ended up in the Gravel at the hair pin of turn 5 during the last two minutes of qualifying ending his flying lap slightly early. He came back but with far from fresh tyres it just wasn’t enough to get the Mexican into Q3.
Lewis Hamilton and fellow British Team mate George Russel had a miscommunication during the straight, with Russel not seeing Hamilton and damaging Hamiltons front wing after a small clip from the two drivers. An Apologetic Russel came on the radio and the team stated it as a miscommunication.
McLaren showing some pace here in Barcelona with both drivers through to Q3 and Lando Norris finishing a fantastic P2. Piastri also showing great pace with a respectable P6. A great Q2 for the papaya team.
Q2 ended with the two Alpha Tauri’s at the bottom, followed by the Alpha Romeo of Zhou. And the disappointing result from Russel coming next and Perez concluding the drivers out in Q2.
Q3 – Verstappen on Pole Position
Q3 saw a fight between everyone to secure that all important Pole Position.
Verstappen came out on top with his first pole at this racing track setting a whopping 1:12.272 lap to beat and secured his pole and front row start at the all important race tomorrow.
The crowds went wild for home guy Carlos Sainz as he fought to get his Car on the front row – this will make for an exciting race tomorrow.
A nice morale boost from stroll in the Aston Martin finishing above his team mate in P6.
There was a big push from the 7-time world champion Hamilton but he was only able to secure P5.
The top 10 for tomorrows race start is: Pole, Verstappen, Sainz, Norris, Gasly, Hamilton, Stroll, Ocon, Hulkenburg, Alonso and Piastri.
Spanish Grand Prix
As you know, the qualifying session sets the starting grid for the race tomorrow – and if this qualifying session is anything to go by, we should be in store for an exciting race.
Regarding the Stewards decision on Gasly impeding penalties, we will keep you up dated so be sure to check our socials @Joinef1 for all the latest.
Can the Spaniard Carlos Sainz give Verstappen a battle on the front row? Will the McLaren show great pace again tomorrow with Norris starting from P3? Will Perez, Russel and Leclerc fight their way up the grid? So many questions… so be sure to tune into the Spanish Grand Prix tomorrow.
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Spanish gp qualifying