How Chinese Grand Prix sprint qualifying unfolded (2024)

Gary Rose

All times stated are UK

  1. Post update

    Right, that's all from us for today.

    You can read Andrew Benson's full report on sprint qualifying here, catch up on all the reaction below and then join us in the early hours of tomorrow morning for the sprint race, which starts at 04:00 BST.

    Have a good Friday!

  2. 'Like driving on ice'

    World champion Max Verstappen: "It never really switched on for me. It was just like driving on ice, that is why also I think we deserved where we are in qualifying, it isn't really working for me in the wet but it is not where we are in the dry.

    "It is not ideal to start on the inside here. We have to try and have the best start possible and then I think it will be quite a long stint on one tyres in the sprint."

  3. Post update

    Fernando Alonso, who finished third in sprint race qualifying, speaking to Sky Sports: "We were not super competitive on the dry. In the wet it was difficult to judge the level of grip and risk we wanted to apply but in the end I am happy.

    "We have a lot of racing laps in the weekend with the sprint race tomorrow and the race on Sunday. Let's see if we can qualify well for Sunday's race tomorrow and then we will see."

  4. 'The pressure was extreme'

    It was a dream first home race for Zhou Guanyu as he secured a place in the top 10 for tomorrow's sprint race.

    "We will give everything," he told Sky Sports. "I am just happy with the first day and great to have everyone here.

    "The pressure before the weekend was so extreme, like I felt when I made my debut. Everyone is here and that is when you want to do well."

  5. 'I got excited when I saw the rain coming'

    Lewis Hamilton, who finished second in sprint qualifying: "It was very tricky conditions. Not a lot of grip for everyone. But so happy, as soon as I saw the rain coming I was getting excited. In dry conditions were not quick enough."

    On tomorrow's sprint race: "It really depends what the conditions will be like. If they are like they were just now we have a chance of being up there."

  6. 'A chance to recover in the sprint race'

    George Russell, speaking to Sky Sports: "It was not easy at all. We tried sending it as early as we could in Q2 but stuck behind the cars in the pit lane and lost the tyre temperature.

    "We have a chance to recover in the sprint race. And then have a chance in race qualifying tomorrow.

    "The grip is really low here for everybody compared to what we expected. There's no junior series here to help rubber the track in. It is quite challenging to judge but we have another chance tomorrow and maybe make some tweaks overnight."

  7. Post update

    Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who says he was OK with Lando Norris getting his lap time reinstated, tells Sky Sports about Lewis Hamilton getting P2: "The driving is most important in the wet but it also shows it is about tyre preparation.

    "We did the right thing on the final run, the tyres were in the sweet spot, combined with the driving."

    On George Russell issues: "Our car in generating grip is not an easy task. We failed in Q1 and Q2 but got it right in Q3."

  8. What happened in sprint qualifying?

    How Chinese Grand Prix sprint qualifying unfolded (1)

    Andrew Benson

    BBC F1 correspondent

    Lando Norris beat Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix in a hectic wet session.

    The McLaren driver had his fastest lap time deleted and then reinstated in the final minutes of the session as he beat Hamilton by 1.261 seconds.

    Hamilton's Mercedes headed Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin by 0.714 seconds as Max Verstappen managed only fourth.

    The Red Bull driver made errors on two laps before sneaking in at the end.

    Red Bull's Sergio Perez in sixth split the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who took seventh despite a crash on his first lap that required a pit stop to replace a damaged front wing.

    McLaren's Oscar Piastri was eighth ahead of the Sauber of Valtteri Bottas and, delighting his home fans, Zhou Guanyu.

  9. Post update

    For anyone who got up for practice this morning at 04:30 BST well done, a top effort.

    However, it is even earlier tomorrow with the sprint race getting under way at 04:00 BST.

    Not a pleasant time to be getting up, but with that top four and the potential for more rain it promises to be a thrilling start.

  10. Post update

    Lando Norris, who secured first for tomorrow's sprint race: "It was [wild]. I am extremely happy, big thanks to the team. It was tricky.

    "I was quite happy how we were in the dry, I was nervous. I was quick, I kept catching the Ferrari so had to keep backing off. I got a good final lap. I am happy, sad it is not for a proper qualifying but good enough.

    "It was good fun, it gets your heart going. A nice surprise and a good position for tomorrow."

  11. The rest

    11) Russell

    12) Magnussen

    13) Hulkenberg

    14) Ricciardo

    15) Stroll

    16) Gasly

    17) Ocon

    18) Albon

    19) Tsunoda

    20) Sargeant

  12. Post update

    What a cracking battle that promises to be into the first corner.

  13. Top 10

    1) Norris (1:57.940)

    2) Hamilton

    3) Alonso

    4) Verstappen

    5) Sainz

    6) Perez

    7) Leclerc

    8) Piastri

    9) Bottas

    10) Zhou

  14. Chequered flag

    Lando Norris secures pole position for the sprint race for the Chinese Grand Prix.

  15. Norris lap reinstated

    Oh wait, now Lando Norris has his lap time reinstated! He's going to take pole position!

  16. Now Hamilton has provisional pole

    Oh it is all happening!

    Lewis Hamilton clocks a 1:59.321 to go quickest. He's knocked off provisional pole by Lando Norris soon after, but then Norris has his time deleted!

  17. Post update

    Charles Leclerc can only go third quickest, 0.353 seconds off Fernando Alonso's time.

  18. Alonso on provisional pole

    Now Fernando Alonso goes quickest! He has provisional pole position with just a minute to go.

  19. Post update

    Oscar Piastri is "fastest" with 2:02.598, before Sergio Perez does manage to find two more seconds on that slippery circuit to go top of the order.

  20. Post update

    Max Verstappen, on a flying lap, is cautiously taking the corner before picking up a bit of speed down the straight and then runs wide at turn six.

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How Chinese Grand Prix sprint qualifying unfolded (2024)

FAQs

How Chinese Grand Prix sprint qualifying unfolded? ›

What happened in sprint qualifying? Lando Norris beat Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix in a hectic wet session. The McLaren

McLaren
McLaren is best known as a Formula One chassis constructor, the second-oldest active team and the second-most successful Formula One team after Ferrari, having won 184 races, 12 Drivers' Championships, and eight Constructors' Championships.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › McLaren
driver had his fastest lap time deleted and then reinstated in the final minutes of the session as he beat Hamilton by 1.261 seconds.

How does Formula 1 sprint Qualifying work? ›

What is F1 Sprint Qualifying? Sprint Qualifying takes place on Friday afternoon. Split into three stages – SQ1, SQ2 and SQ3 – lasting 12 minutes, 10 minutes and just 8 minutes respectively, the session follows a similar format to Qualifying.

What is the point of the F1 sprint shootout? ›

The 'F1 Sprint Shootout' has been renamed to Sprint Qualifying. Split into three stages, the slowest drivers are eliminated in the same style as qualifying. These psotions are then the grid for the Sprint race.

How many F1 sprint races are there in 2024? ›

Where will Sprint weekends take place in 2024? As was the case in 2023, there will be six Sprint weekends this season. The first was hosted by China, as rain during Sprint Qualifying at the Shanghai International Circuit created incredible entertainment.

Who won the sprint race in the Grand Prix? ›

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory in Saturday afternoon's Sprint at the Austrian Grand Prix, overcoming the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris via some exhilarating wheel-to-wheel action.

How does the sprint format work in F1? ›

How does the F1 Sprint work? A Sprint weekend is still a three-day affair with the Grand Prix as the main event, but with two of the regular practice sessions are replaced. A Sprint Qualifying session sets the grid for the Sprint and that replaces FP2 on a Friday afternoon.

How many laps is China sprint? ›

Verstappen beat Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton by 13.043 seconds in the 19-lap race at the Shanghai International Circuit to extend his championship lead over teammate Sergio Perez, who finished third.

Do F1 sprint races count as wins? ›

ANSWER: FALSE! This one is not true either. There will be no podium, nor will the drivers finishing in the top three be credited with either a podium finish or a victory in their official stats. The winning driver will, however, be credited with pole position (as mentioned above).

What happens if you crash in F1 sprint? ›

Any race ending crash will end that driver's chances of taking any points home from the Sprint. Penalties are only applied to the Grand Prix, so they might pick up a few places if another driver is heavily penalised. Pierre Gasly crashed his AlphaTauri on the first lap of the Monza Sprint Race.

Why did F1 add sprint races? ›

The sprint was first introduced in 2021 at Silverstone as a way of making more sessions over the course of the weekend competitive, with the target of driving interest in F1. In 2021 and 2022, there were three sprints a year.

What is the format for the Chinese Sprint race? ›

Format: The qualifying for the Sprint race, known as the Sprint Shootout, is split into three shorter segments: SQ1 (12 minutes), SQ2 (10 minutes), and SQ3 (8 minutes). This format works in the same way as normal qualifying with the slowest drivers being eliminated.

What happens to F1 in 2026? ›

To make battery power go further, the FIA plans to slash drag levels in 2026, with the biggest saving coming from active aerodynamics. A more powerful version of the current drag reduction system (DRS) will be available to drivers on designated straights to reduce air resistance and ease the workload of the power unit.

What will F1 look like in 2026? ›

The 2026 machines will feature movable front and rear wings to promote closer racing. The front wing will be 100mm narrower and have a two-element flap. The rear wing will also have three elements, with the lower beam wing removed.

How rich is Verstappen? ›

3 – Max Verstappen net worth, up to $210m

Forbes listed the Red Bull driver as the highest-paid in F1 in 2023, taking home a reported $70m including bonuses after a record-breaking year on the way to his third World title, with his status of living in Monaco protecting him from income tax.

Which Sprint race did Oscar win? ›

Oscar Piastri was all smiles after crossing the line to secure his maiden Formula 1 victory during Saturday's Sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix, having led home Red Bull rival Max Verstappen and McLaren team mate Lando Norris.

How many Sprint races has Max Verstappen won? ›

Max Verstappen holds the record for the most Formula One sprint wins with ten during his career. Sprints were introduced at select Grands Prix in 2021. Max Verstappen holds the record for the most sprint wins with ten.

How do sprint points work in F1? ›

Grand Prix points

Every driver who finishes 11th downwards does not receive points. For sprint races, the winner currently receives eight points, with eighth place taking home a solitary point.

Do F1 sprint wins count as wins? ›

ANSWER: FALSE! This one is not true either. There will be no podium, nor will the drivers finishing in the top three be credited with either a podium finish or a victory in their official stats. The winning driver will, however, be credited with pole position (as mentioned above).

How does the F1 qualifying format work? ›

How do F1 drivers qualify? During qualifying, every driver is given a set number of laps in which they have to set their fastest time. The driver who sets the fastest time during Q1 progresses to Q2, while the slowest drivers are eliminated.

How many laps is sprint qualifying F1? ›

What's the format? F1 Sprint will be a race run over 100km (in Silverstone's case, 17 laps) and lasting around 25-30 minutes. It is designed to provide a short and fast-paced racing spectacle – similar to a Twenty20 cricket match – with drivers racing flat-out from start to finish without the need to pit.

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