In a dramatic display of skill and strategy, the British Grand Prix qualifying session unfolded under the often capricious skies of Silverstone, presenting a thrilling precursor to what promises to be an exhilarating race day.
Norris Hails ‘Excellent Work’ by Mercedes F1 Drivers Despite Finishing 3rd
Lando Norris expressed his satisfaction with a British trio securing the top three spots at Silverstone.
Though Norris aimed for pole position at the British Grand Prix, he could not fend off the exceptional comeback from Mercedes F1 drivers who claimed the front row. Despite some frustration, the McLaren F1 driver is content with starting third on the grid, acknowledging he was in contention for pole until late in the session.
“I was in the mix until the end! I’m pleased with third place; having three Brits in the top three is pretty cool. George and Lewis did an excellent job, they put in some great laps, and I made a small mistake, but third place is a good result,” Norris stated.
Looking ahead to the race, he anticipates a competitive showdown, particularly with the potential for rain to shake things up. The Briton remains confident in his ability to challenge for victory against George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
“I believe it will rain again tomorrow, which will make for an interesting race. We’re fast, and I can battle with George and Lewis. I’m excited; I think we’re in for some great duels, and I can’t wait.”
Ocon Labels Alpine F1’s Qualifying at British Grand Prix ‘Chaotic’ and ‘Embarrassing’
Esteban Ocon finished 18th in the British Grand Prix qualifying, hindered by poor timing as rain resumed. The French driver couldn’t complete his final lap, crossing the line too late. He criticized Alpine F1’s overall management during the session.
“It was clear on the system that I had taken the flag, and I was sure I had passed it afterwards. I asked the team three times, and they assured me we had taken it and that the session was over for us,” Ocon told Canal+.
“I was much faster because the first sector was wet when I did my lap. It could have been enough today, but we messed up the entire session, which is embarrassing for us. I should move up tomorrow, but this session was very disappointing.”
“We were better in the dry than in the wet, and we struggled in EL3. The conditions were more favorable in qualifying; we’ll have to see what we decide to do because we don’t have the right car setup for the dry. We had based our adjustments on a wet setting, but the whole day was chaotic.”
Pierre Gasly, destined to start 20th due to numerous penalties for mechanical changes, attempted to assist his teammate, to no avail: “Today we didn’t even try; we’ll start from the back tomorrow.”
“We did a lap on inters, tried the softs, and had said that the priority was to get the other car through to Q2. There was no point in me trying and pushing the other car out. It changed nothing, and I would have liked to drive, but our weekend starts tomorrow.”
“We’ll have to see the conditions tomorrow; one moment it’s dry, the next it’s raining, so we know it will be tricky. Even in EL2, when I drove, it was tough. But if it rains, anything can happen. We need to be prepared, as it’s easy to make mistakes. There will be opportunities to seize, and we will try to make up ground.”
Ferrari Drivers Lack ‘Confidence and Pace’ at Silverstone. Sainz Falters in Q3, Leclerc Misses the Mark.
Carlos Sainz progressed to Q3 at Silverstone but was unable to challenge the drivers from Mercedes F1, McLaren F1, Max Verstappen, and Nico Hülkenberg. Finishing seventh, he expressed frustration at not achieving better results, attributing significant time loss during his out lap to being stuck behind Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri.
“The silver lining is that we made it to Q3, but it’s a shame because we were somewhat sluggish at the end of Q3. We started very late and couldn’t complete the lap we intended. Our out lap with Fernando and Oscar was disastrous; we didn’t prepare the tyres well, which probably cost us a few positions,” noted Sainz.
Difficult weather conditions in Q1 did little to ease his nerves: “Yes, it’s always stressful in these conditions; you always think anything can happen. Especially as we currently lack both confidence and pace in the car, so it’s something we need to address on high-speed circuits.”
“It’s evident we are not performing well, and those ahead of us are gradually pulling away. When you see where Mercedes is now compared to six races ago, it demonstrates that something in our approach is amiss, and we must steer in the right direction,” he added.
Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc was eliminated in Q2, securing only the 11th fastest time, and was visibly disheartened. He openly expressed his frustration with Ferrari’s recent performance and suggested that exceptional circumstances would be necessary for a significant result.
“As soon as we fitted the new tyres, I struggled massively with the balance, and we simply aren’t fast enough. We’ll have to review everything once again, but the recent races have been disappointing,” Leclerc stated.
“Starting from 11th, we need an atypical race to make any headway. The performance so far has not been up to par. We’ve changed the setup several times since the beginning of the weekend, reverted to an older configuration, and will see if it pays off tomorrow.”
Piastri Might Have Fared Better Had McLaren F1 Not ‘Mishandled’ Timing in Q3
The Australian exited the pits too late during the session’s end.
Oscar Piastri qualified fifth for the British Grand Prix, a result that left him somewhat disappointed. The McLaren F1 driver had hoped for a better performance, but a delayed exit from the pits spoiled his final fast lap in Q3, relegating him to the third row at the start.
“I felt quite good throughout the session. The car was performing well, and I was fairly confident behind the wheel, but we mishandled the end of the session with traffic and the pit exit. My last lap wasn’t really a lap. It’s unfortunate, but the race could be interesting, and we might score some significant points,” Piastri remarked.
The Australian driver acknowledges the challenge posed by his rivals in the race but remains hopeful of a strong result: “I think Mercedes is very fast, obviously—they’ve just monopolised the front row so their car can’t be bad.”
“And Max is quick too, I’m not sure if he had any damage from his off. I think he did (indeed, that was the case), otherwise his car is a tank! We’ll have some good cars around us, but we’re in a good position, and I believe we can capitalise on any opportunity that comes our way.”
Haas F1: Hulkenberg Shines in Qualifying, Magnussen Fails to Exit Q1.
It was yet another sterling performance by Nico Hulkenberg in today’s qualifying session at Silverstone.
The German breezed through Q1, Q2, and Q3 to secure a sixth-place start on the grid.
Tonight, he wears a smile.
“I managed to carry momentum from the last race into this week. Additionally, I think the changes we made to the car yesterday really made a difference, and I felt an immediate improvement. That’s good news and not always the case, so a big kudos to the team.”
“The qualifying went well; Q1 was a bit too tight for comfort with just one run. The red flag threw us slightly off sync, and the weather was perhaps a bit unsettled, but otherwise, it was a clean session.”
“I have good confidence in the car, which means I can pull off such laps, even if it’s just one.”
Kevin Magnussen, on the other hand, was only 17th, victim of poor strategy.
“We parked the car after my off because I thought the track was too wet. Unfortunately, I didn’t realise it was just a brief shower and that the track would dry within minutes, so we didn’t go back out. The track dried up and everyone improved their lap times. We’ll look to push forward, of course, but I would have liked to be on the track because clearly, we had the pace, but again we didn’t make it through, not due to pace but other factors.”
Aston Martin F1 Secures Two Cars in Q3 at Silverstone
Aston Martin F1 confirmed its 8th and 10th grid positions at Silverstone following a double appearance before the FIA stewards.
Lance Stroll narrowly escaped a penalty after passing a red light in the pit lane, but the timing of his exit and the location of the garage at the end of the pit lane ultimately earned him a reprimand and the stewards’ leniency.
“In Q1, I exited the pit lane just as the red light appeared. I saw it at the last moment but didn’t have enough time to react. I decided it was safer to drive slowly on track rather than braking sharply at the end of the pit lane.”
Both the Canadian and Fernando Alonso were under investigation for their exits in the pit lane ahead of other cars, but again no penalties were ultimately imposed.
In 8th place, Stroll once again outperformed his teammate.
“Having both cars in Q3 is a good result for us today, especially in such challenging conditions. The changes we made to the car after Austria have been beneficial and seem to have made the car easier to drive.”
“My final flying lap was a bit messy – I think we could have done a bit better – so it’s a bit frustrating but the times are very close. It’s an encouraging result for the team and we’ll try to capitalise on it tomorrow. Who knows what the British weather will bring!”
For Alonso, it was the 10th and final spot in Q3.
“As Lance said, it’s good to have both cars in Q3 today after some challenging Saturdays for the team. Unfortunately, we couldn’t complete the last lap in Q3 due to traffic on the out lap with Carlos [Sainz] and Oscar [Piastri].”
“We managed to finish in the top three in Q2 and the pace was competitive, so I think we had a bit more to gain than tenth place at the end. I hope we can fight for points with both cars in tomorrow’s race.”
Stake F1 Shows Promise in Qualifying, Yet Bottas Feels Performance Belies True Pace
The Stake F1 Team put on a commendable performance during the British Grand Prix qualifying session, with Guanyu Zhou securing a spot in Q2 on a challenging, transitioning track at Silverstone. He finished 14th, while his teammate Valtteri Bottas was closely behind in 16th.
“It’s gratifying to reach Q2 here at Silverstone, a circuit that suits us far better than Austria,” shared Zhou.
“Q1 was eventful as we faced mixed conditions, starting on intermediates before switching to slicks. The damp track particularly played to our advantage today—where the gaps appear even narrower—and the team did a fantastic job navigating through unpredictable conditions.”
“I’m hopeful for a similar scenario tomorrow to climb a few more spots and contend for points. I’m eagerly anticipating the race since Silverstone presents ample overtaking opportunities. Tyre management will be crucial, and there could be chances to excel.”
For Bottas, who demonstrated strong pace, missing out on progressing beyond Q1 was somewhat disappointing.
“We made sound decisions today, so it’s frustrating to be ousted in Q1. We were in a good position and in the top 10 until the very last attempt, but sometimes it’s akin to roulette under these conditions.”
“The rain complicated matters greatly, presenting a challenge to stay on track and maximise the car’s potential, especially as grip changed every lap. We were among the first to switch to slicks before the red flag, and we were well-placed at the front of the queue on the restart; however, conditions improved at the very end, others found something extra, and we did not.”
“Luck wasn’t on our side today, but I believe we deserve a better position for the race. It’s hard to predict the conditions, but we’ll be ready for anything.”
Tsunoda ‘Lacks Pace’, Ricciardo ‘Questions’ His Q2 Strategy as RB F1 Suffers Double Elimination in Q2 at Silverstone.
Yuki Tsunoda clocked the 13th fastest time in qualifying for the British Grand Prix. The RB F1 driver expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of pace in his car, the VCARB 01. He remains hopeful for race day opportunities but is concerned about the car’s performance.
“Clearly, we can’t be satisfied right now; we’ve been lacking pace since the free practice sessions, and it’s unfortunate we couldn’t turn things around during the weekend for qualifying. The field is tight, and we’ll do our best for tomorrow,” Tsunoda stated.
“We had good pace in the wet. I’m not sure about the weather tomorrow, but we struggle with pace in fast corners, which has been the case over the last three circuits. It’s tough, but the field is tight, and we hope to maximise our performance.”
Daniel Ricciardo also failed to progress beyond Q2 and lamented his team’s timing in releasing him from the pits: “We need to discuss it because there wasn’t enough time for me. Time is crucial, and we couldn’t communicate, but on both runs, I feel our plan was flawed, raising questions.”
“At the end, we nearly didn’t get any laps in. I made some enemies by overtaking in the last corner; I hate when it’s done to me, and I was asked to do it to get a lap in. But I left less than two seconds behind Zhou, and it was clear the lap would be compromised in the dirty air.”
“It was probably one of our worst sessions. In the race, we’ll address what we need to do and try to climb from 15th place. We’ve struggled this weekend; the last three have been tough, and I felt this one would be as well. There’s frustration from not performing well.”
Ricciardo ‘Makes No Predictions’ About His Future
Amidst rumors of Sergio Pérez’s poor performance, Daniel Ricciardo is reportedly at the forefront to join Red Bull should the Mexican be replaced or dismissed.
When asked about his chances of changing teams this season or next, Ricciardo was non-committal: “I never make predictions in this sport. Every year, it seems to grow bigger.”
“I know it’s moving towards a grander sport. It’s becoming more Hollywood, so to speak, in terms of profile and narrative, and certainly more Hollywood in terms of unpredictability.”
“So, do I have any proof that I’ll be elsewhere? I don’t. Crazy things happen, but I’m certainly not in a position to say, think, or predict it, so I try to keep doing what I have to do.”
Ninth, Albon Surprised by the ‘Unexpected Pace’ of Williams F1. A Pleasant Surprise for Him and Sargeant in Qualifying.
Alex Albon clinched an impressive ninth place in qualifying at the British Grand Prix. The Williams F1 driver discovered pace throughout the qualifying session and was pleasantly surprised by the strong performance of his FW46, marking his third Q3 appearance this season.
“I’m very pleased. It’s one of those sessions where you find yourself wondering from the first lap where the pace came from! And I was on intermediate tyres. I was delighted to get through Q1 and Q2; there’s always a risk and reward in these conditions,” Albon stated.
“It was enjoyable, and as a team, we seize these opportunities when they come, and I’m happy with ninth place. I sustained some minor damage during my Q2 lap at Maggots and Becketts, but it was nothing significant, I’m not sure if it would have changed our position.”
“One thing is certain, when the track temperatures dropped, the car came alive. Traction has been a weak point for us this year, but with a cooler track, it was manageable and that’s interesting.”
As for what Williams can achieve in the race, he believes points are within reach: “Our race pace was good on Friday. We were ahead of Haas and on par with Aston. That’s where we’re fighting. Checo will be moving up, but conditions will be tricky and anything can happen.”
‘A Whirlwind’ but a Fine 12th Place for Sargeant
Logan Sargeant did not expect to perform as well as he did, securing 12th place in qualifying. After yielding his car to Franco Colapinto in FP1, he was concerned about falling too far behind but managed to catch up and reach Q2.
“What a whirlwind this day has been! I think I did a good job this weekend after missing FP1. We had to start from scratch this morning with the rain; it was unpredictable, but we managed to stay on track and get the laps in when necessary,” Sargeant said.
“When we switched to slick tyres in Q1 and it started to rain, I thought it wasn’t our day; but it held off just enough to make something of the second run. I’m pleased with my lap in Q2, I lost a bit in Becketts due to understeer, but I’m proud of the work done this weekend.”
The American is confident he can aim for points in the race, although he admits conditions will be challenging: “We are! Tomorrow is likely to be as changeable as today. I’m preparing for both conditions to be ready for whatever might come. But I don’t know what will happen; that would be guessing.”
F1’s British GP Qualifying: Strategic Highlights Unveiled. f1 2024 F1’s British GP Qualifying: Strategic Highlights Unveiled. formula 1 2024 F1’s British GP Qualifying: Strategic Highlights Unveiled. F1’s British GP Qualifying: Strategic Highlights Unveiled. 2024 F1’s British GP Qualifying: Strategic Highlights Unveiled.
- You may also like>Russell Takes Pole, Mercedes Dominates at Silverstone!
- You may also like>FP3 : Russell’s Rain Masterclass Secures Mercedes One-Two
- Following us on>Facebook and>Twitter
