2024 F1 Qatar GP Sprint Qualifying: Top 5 predictions
The first and only practice session of the F1 Qatar GP is now done and dusted, and the fast and flowing track has already given us some interesting clues. The session ended with Charles Leclerc at the top of the timesheets with a laptime that almost makes the comparable benchmarks from last season look like nothing.
Ferrari wasn't expected to be as strong as it appears to be around the Lusail International Circuit, and that is certainly something that title rivals McLaren would have noticed. Some of the other things that seemingly stand out after the first hour of running are that the track tends to reward aerodynamic efficiency.
To add to this, it does bite back if one makes a mistake over the lap. With that being said, we're just a few hours away from the sprint qualifying. How do we expect the session to pan out? Let's take a look.
#5 Alpine is the dark horse with Pierre Gasly
It's safe to say that one driver that appears to have found some kind of rhythm recently is Pierre Gasly. The driver has been in spectacular form when it comes to qualifying, and with the upgraded package at his disposal, he appears to have a clear edge over teammate and rival Esteban Ocon.
If the hour of running is anything to go by, Pierre Gasly appears to be in a good place when it comes to nailing the laptime for the F1 Qatar GP race weekend. He has the pace that could surprise everyone in the sprint qualifying as well. He is someone who is a sure shot when it comes to reaching SQ3 but might also be someone who pulls something special out of the bag this weekend as well.
#4 Lewis Hamilton struggles compared to George Russell
Lewis Hamilton's run on soft tires would have alleviated a lot of the doubts that his fans might have had after his early run on medium tires where he complained about the lack of grip. That seemed to be an issue for the driver, and the laptimes were clear evidence that he wasn't happy in the car.
While the soft tire run put him right next to George Russell, the question remains. Has he found the sweet spot, or was that a one-off? It would be worth keeping an eye on Lewis during the F1 Qatar GP sprint qualifying, as we expect the Mercedes driver to struggle compared to his teammate.
#3 Max Verstappen qualifies in the top 5
The Red Bull looked quite good around the track as the fast-speed sections appeared to be where the car came alive. With that being said, the car was not as impressive as the Ferrari or even the McLaren, as both of the title contenders held an edge over Max Verstappen in terms of laptime.
With that being said, the 2024 champion appears to have the car in the right place in terms of setup, and he should find himself in the top 5 once the F1 Qatar GP sprint qualifying is done.
#2 McLaren and Ferrari battle it out for pole
As we said earlier, it does appear that McLaren and Ferrari have something extra in reserve as compared to everyone else. It does come as a surprise to see the Italian team right up there around a track like Lusail, as the car has traditionally not done well around this kind of track layout.
That is certainly a step up for the team, and the competition is going to be between these two teams to see who can come out on top in the F1 Qatar GP sprint qualifying.
#1 Charles Leclerc secures pole position for the F1 Qatar GP sprint
We're backing Charles Leclerc to secure pole position for the F1 Qatar GP sprint, and it comes down to the kind of performance he showed in that one hour of running. He was already quite comfortable in the car from the very first lap on the track, but as the session progressed, he got more and more in the groove, and by the end he was quite clearly the benchmark.
Leclerc appears to hold a bit of an edge over others going into the F1 Qatar GP sprint qualifying, and we back him to keep that edge throughout the session.