2023-10-06 14:34:57
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The drivers will now turn to qualifying
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F1 returns this weekend to the Losail circuit, for the second edition of the Qatar Grand Prix. The circuit has been completely resurfaced and the paddock is brand new, to make the Losail track a more modern complex.
Only three teams made changes this weekend. Alpine F1 brought a floor, a revised rear wheel assembly and put gills on the sides of its A523s. AlphaTauri has a new ‘beam wing’, and Alphatauri has modified floor edges.
Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell took turns at the head of the session during the first minutes, without setting significant times, on slippery and dusty asphalt.
The wind had picked up during the morning, and Verstappen joked on the radio that the track was very slippery. Carlos Sainz has referred to his rally raid driver father, saying he would be “fast on this track”. There were many small outings.
The times obviously improved during the first half hour, the drivers cleaning the very sandy track at the start of the session. The times dropped by almost 10 seconds between the first qualifying sessions and the end of the first half hour.
It was Fernando Alonso who set a real sustainable time in the middle of the session, with a 1’28″624 on hard tires. The Aston Martin F1 driver remained at the top of the standings for a while, while the drivers tried their hand at shortly before mid-session on medium tires.
We saw Carlos Sainz place second, but the yellow sidewall tires didn’t seem the fastest. Charles Leclerc then Oscar Piastri placed themselves in front of Verstappen. But it was Piastri who ended up dislodging Alonso in 1’28″380, with hard tires.
Lando Norris placed second with the same tires, but the times improved when the leaders put on medium or even soft tires. This was the case for Leclerc, who took the best time in 1’28″104 on medium tires.
Nico Hülkenberg placed second provisionally, 0″067 behind the Monegasque, on soft tires. Alonso then took the lead of the session in 1’27″919, wearing mediums.
Max Verstappen finally dislodged him in 1’27″428, but the Red Bull driver was on soft tires. Sergio Pérez placed third, while Williams drivers Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon took advantage of their soft tires to position themselves eighth and ninth.
Leclerc made a mistake on his final fast lap following an aggressive pass on a curb, as did Alonso. Several drivers improved, like Sainz and Leclerc who placed themselves on the podium in these free practices, but it was Verstappen who finished first in these first free practices.
Sainz and Leclerc follow in front of Alonso and Pérez. Yuki Tsunoda moved up to sixth place at the end of the session ahead of Hülkenberg and Russell. Piastri and Norris finished in the top 10 ahead of Sargeant, Albon and Hamilton. The Alpine drivers, Esteban Ocon ahead of Pierre Gasly, are 15th and 16th.
Pos.PiloteVoitureTempsTours
01
Max Verstappen
Red Bull Honda RBPT RB19
1:27.428
26
02
Carlos Sainz
Ferrari SF-23
1:27.762
27
03
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari SF-23
1:27.909
27
04
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin Mercedes AMR23
1:27.919
28
05
Sergio Pérez
Red Bull Honda RBPT RB19
1:28.016
24
06
Yuki Tsunoda
AlphaTauri Honda RBPT AT04
1:28.027
28
07
Nico Hülkenberg
Haas Ferrari VF-23
1:28.171
22
08
George Russell
Mercedes W14
1:28.336
28
09
Oscar Piastri
McLaren Mercedes MCL60
1:28.380
20
10
Lando Norris
McLaren Mercedes MCL60
1:28.441
24
11
Logan Sargeant
Williams Mercedes FW45
1:28.550
25
12
Alex Albon
Williams Mercedes FW45
1:28.590
26
13
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes W14
1:28.679
26
14
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin Mercedes AMR23
1:28.690
28
15
Esteban Ocon
Alpine Renault A523
1:28.732
25
16
Pierre Gasly
Alpine Renault A523
1:28.821
23
17
Valtteri Bottas
Alfa Romeo Ferrari C43
1:29.041
27
18
Guanyu Zhou
Alfa Romeo Ferrari C43
1:29.106
29
19
Liam Lawson
AlphaTauri Honda RBPT AT04
1:29.238
29
20
Kevin Magnussen
Haas Ferrari VF-23
1:29.502
26
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#Formula #Qatar #Free #Verstappen #lead #slippery #track
