F1 qualifying outcomes: Spanish Grand Prix qualifying protection

One other thrilling qualifying hour awaits the Method 1 grid on the Spanish Grand Prix. The game’s newest triple-header concludes with this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix from Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and as we speak brings one remaining hour of apply forward of the all-important qualifying hour.

The week started with rampant hypothesis a few new Technical Directive from F1’s governing physique, aimed on the “flexi-wings” which have change into a significant speaking level over the previous two seasons. Whereas the game imposed restrictions on rear wings to start the 12 months, extra stringent necessities — and testing — went into impact this week.

Whereas some within the paddock believed this may be a “gamechanger” within the pecking order, that has but to materialize, at the least primarily based on Friday’s two hours of apply. Each McLaren drivers have been sturdy in FP1 and FP2, with Lando Norris topping the timing sheets in FP1 and teammate Oscar Piastri main the best way in FP2.

But a number of groups and drivers are lurking, and with yet another hour of apply forward of qualifying, there’s nonetheless extra for the groups to be taught.

We could have as we speak’s qualifying session coated reside, so examine again early and infrequently!

Right here is the provisional beginning grid, which will probably be stuffed in all through qualifying:

Observe: All updates are in Jap time

Q3

10:59: Ultimate push laps are underway, beginning with Norris.

10:57: Hadjar rolls out, as the one driver who has but to set a time. Seems to be like he’ll one-shot this Q3.

Leclerc climbs out of his automotive, appears to be like like he’s going to stay with what he has executed, which has him in P4.

10:56: Alonso’s first push lap additionally pips Verstappen, and the Aston Martin veteran will get to P5, dropping Verstappen to sixth.

The gang roars their approval.

10:54: Leclerc pips Verstappen and slides into P4.

10:53: Norris goes to provisional pole, and we’ve got a McLaren entrance row for the second. Russell is in P3, whereas Verstappen’s first push lap was good 4 fourth.

10:52: Piastri goes to the highest with 1:11.836. However of observe, at the least to my eyes, he could have been broad at Flip 6.

10:49: 12 minutes and counting as the ultimate phase of qualifying will get underway.

Q2

10:44: Ruth Buscombe on F1TV notes that the “Pink Bull remains to be fighting understeer.”

10:41: Albon, Bortoleto, Lawson, Stroll, and Bearman are the 5 drivers eradicated.

10:40: Stroll’s remaining push lap retains him within the drop zone, and the Aston Martin driver will probably be out in Q2. Bortoleto’s remaining push retains him in P11 as effectively, and he may also be out.

Hadjar jumps to P6, which eradicated Albon.

10:36: Russell additionally tells Mercedes that he’s “completely satisfied to provide” teammate Antonelli a tow “if wanted.”

And sure, there are darkish clouds on the horizon. We’ll see if groups head out sooner than anticipated to verify they get a superb lap in right here on the finish of Q2.

10:34; George Russell, Weatherman. “Darkish clouds within the distance over [Turn] 13.”

10:33: Piastri jumps to P1 with the primary sub-1:12 effort of the day, as he pumps in a 1:11.998 lap.

With seven minutes remaining and every driver having posted a lap, the 5 drivers within the drop zone are: Bortoleto, Lawson, Albon, Stroll, and Bearman.

10:31: Verstappen goes P1 with a 1:12.358, however then Norris pips him with a 1:12.056.

10:28: Alonso is again out on the observe, together with many of the drivers remaining. Solely Piastri, Russell, and Antonelli stay on pit lane.

10:27: Alonso instantly heads again to pit lane on the finish of his out lap.

10:26: We now have a inexperienced mild in Barcelona with quarter-hour and relying on the clock. 15 drivers stay, and 5 extra will probably be eradicated on the finish of this phase. Alonso, Albon and Bearman are the primary drivers to take to the observe.

Q1

10:23: Alex Brundle on F1TV walks by way of Tsunoda’s remaining push lap, speculating that the tires simply fall away from the RB21 on the finish of the lap. “The automotive actually doesn’t flip for him,” outlines Brundle as Tsunoda winds by way of the third sector. “He simply doesn’t have the entrance finish.”

10:21: “That is only a catastrophe for Pink Bull,” says Jolyon Palmer on F1TV. “How do you clarify it?”

10:19: Bearman jumps to P11, which eradicated his teammate Ocon.

Yuki Tsunoda has been eradicated as effectively, together with Hülkenberg, Ocon, Sainz, and Colapinto.

10:18: Colapinto has pulled to the aspect and he has been eradicated.

10:17: Bortoleto jumps to P8 and Hülkenberg to P10, that means there’s a while to be discovered on these remaining push laps. No person ought to really feel protected.

10:16: A little bit of an issue on pit lane. Colapinto was on the entrance of the pack and skilled an issue together with his automotive, forcing the remainder of the grid behind him to try to get round him to take to the observe.

10:15: Beneath 4 minutes left in Q1 and pit lane appears to be like like Route 50 headed east in the direction of Ocean Metropolis, Maryland on a Friday in the summertime.

10:12: Max Verstappen’s first lap splits the McLarens. He’s 0.247 seconds behind Piastri, and simply 0.001 seconds forward of Norris.

Now that each driver has accomplished a push lap, the 5 drivers within the elimination zone are Nico Hülkenberg, Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz Jr., Yuki Tsunoda, and Gabriel Bortoleto.

10:10: Over to you Oscar Piastri. The McLaren driver posts a 1:12.551 together with his first push lap, good for P1 and 0.248 seconds forward of Norris.

10:09: Liam Lawson jumps to P1, however it’s only for a second. Kimi Antonelli, however then Lando Norris roars to P1 with a 1:12.779.

George Russell then cuts the beam simply 0.007 seconds behind Norris.

10:05: Beneath 13 minutes left in Q1 and after a few of the drivers behind the grid submit early instances, the remainder of the grid trundles out onto the circuit.

Lance Stroll presently tops the timing sheet, adopted by Alexander Albon and Franco Colapinto

10:00: There’s a inexperienced mild on the finish of the pit lane and we’ve got 18 minutes on the clock. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto is the primary driver out onto the observe.

9:59: We’re ready the inexperienced mild to kick off qualifying on the Spanish Grand Prix.

Updates forward of qualifying

9:54: Piastri the prohibitive favourite on F1TV forward of the qualifying hour.

9:41: F1TV trying on the two quickest laps from Piastri and Norris in FP3. You possibly can see the place Piastri was finest due to telemetry information courtesy of F1-Tempo:

9:30: And we’re reside.

If you’re excited there’s one other reside weblog for qualifying this morning, you’ll be able to thank the climate gods. Heavy rains right here in Maryland washed out as we speak’s journey baseball double-header, not solely saving me a two-hour drive this morning however permitting me to settle in to look at some qualifying. So, there’s that.

Notes from FP3

It was one other command efficiency from Group Papaya in FP3.

Piastri topped the timing sheets within the third and remaining hour of apply, with a blazing lap of 1:12.387. Norris completed in P2 behind his teammate with a time of 1:12.913, over a half-second behind Piastri’s tempo.

Piastri and Norris are the one two drivers to go under 1:13.000 up to now this week. Piastri has posted two laps within the 1:12 vary this week, first in FP2 on Friday after which his thunderous effort in FP3.

Charles Leclerc completed third in FP3 with a lap of 1:13.130, 0.743 seconds behind Piastri.

Listed here are the complete outcomes from FP3: