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Autosport

Sport

2024 F1 Chinese GP sprint qualifying results: Norris takes pole

George Russell Mercedes (Person) Ferrari Fernando Alonso Lando Norris Lewis Hamilton L Norris Red Bull Charles Leclerc Max Verstappen Sergio Perez

Norris will start ahead of Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three quickfire segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.

Per the new sprint weekend format, these sessions set the grid for Saturday’s sprint and have no impact on Sunday’s main event.

Chinese GP sprint qualifying results: Norris on pole from Hamilton

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Gap
1	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'57.940
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'59.201	1.261
3	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'59.915	1.975
4	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	2'00.028	2.088
5	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	2'00.214	2.274
6	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	2'00.375	2.435
7	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	2'00.566	2.626
8	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	2'00.990	3.050
9	77	Valtteri Bottas	Sauber/Ferrari	2'01.044	3.104
10	24	Zhou Guanyu	Sauber/Ferrari	2'03.537	5.597
11	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1'36.345	-21.595
12	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas/Ferrari	1'36.473	-21.467
13	27	Nico Hülkenberg	Haas/Ferrari	1'36.478	-21.462
14	3	Daniel Ricciardo	RB/Honda RBPT	1'36.553	-21.387
15	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'36.677	-21.263
16	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine/Renault	1'37.632	-20.308
17	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine/Renault	1'37.720	-20.220
18	23	Alexander Albon	Williams/Mercedes	1'37.812	-20.128
19	22	Yuki Tsunoda	RB/Honda RBPT	1'37.892	-20.048
20	2	Logan Sargeant	Williams/Mercedes	1'37.923	-20.017

What happened in Chinese GP SQ1?

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez set the pace at 1m36.110s on the mandatory medium tyres, over a quarter of a second clear of Norris as light rain fell at the start of the session but the track remained dry enough for slicks throughout.

As in free practice, grass at the trackside caught fire due to sparks from the cars right at the end of the session.

Falling at the first hurdle were the Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon (Williams), Yuki Tsunoda (RB) and Logan Sargeant (Williams).

Chinese GP Grand Prix SQ1 results: Perez fastest from Norris

1 - 2
Cla	Driver	#	Chassis	Engine	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h
1	S. Perez Red Bull Racing	11	Red Bull	Red Bull	4	1'36.110		204.178
2	L. Norris McLaren	4	McLaren	Mercedes	5	+0.274 1'36.384	0.274	203.598
3	M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing	1	Red Bull	Red Bull	4	+0.346 1'36.456	0.072	203.446
4	C. Leclerc Ferrari	16	Ferrari	Ferrari	6	+0.427 1'36.537	0.081	203.275
5	O. Piastri McLaren	81	McLaren	Mercedes	7	+0.432 1'36.542	0.005	203.264
6	C. Sainz Ferrari	55	Ferrari	Ferrari	6	+0.609 1'36.719	0.177	202.892
7	F. Alonso Aston Martin Racing	14	Aston Martin	Mercedes	6	+0.773 1'36.883	0.164	202.549
8	N. Hulkenberg Haas F1 Team	27	Haas	Ferrari	6	+0.814 1'36.924	0.041	202.463
9	L. Stroll Aston Martin Racing	18	Aston Martin	Mercedes	5	+0.851 1'36.961	0.037	202.386
10	K. Magnussen Haas F1 Team	20	Haas	Ferrari	6	+0.923 1'37.033	0.072	202.236
11	V. Bottas Sauber	77	Sauber	Ferrari	7	+1.002 1'37.112	0.079	202.071
12	L. Hamilton Mercedes	44	Mercedes	Mercedes	6	+1.071 1'37.181	0.069	201.928
13	G. Russell Mercedes	63	Mercedes	Mercedes	6	+1.200 1'37.310	0.129	201.660
14	D. Ricciardo RB	3	RB	Red Bull	6	+1.211 1'37.321	0.011	201.637
15	Z. Guanyu Sauber	24	Sauber	Ferrari	7	+1.434 1'37.544	0.223	201.176
16	P. Gasly Alpine	10	Alpine	Renault	6	+1.522 1'37.632	0.088	200.995
17	E. Ocon Alpine	31	Alpine	Renault	6	+1.610 1'37.720	0.088	200.814
18	A. Albon Williams	23	Williams	Mercedes	6	+1.702 1'37.812	0.092	200.625
19	Y. Tsunoda RB	22	RB	Red Bull	6	+1.782 1'37.892	0.080	200.461
20	L. Sargeant Williams	2	Williams	Mercedes	6	+1.813 1'37.923	0.031	200.398
View full results

What happened in Chinese GP SQ2?

The trackside conflagration meant a slightly delayed start to SQ2, with heavier rain predicted to hit the track in the middle of the session.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set the fastest time at 1m35.606s, a tenth clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, just before the rain arrived.

Knocked out at this point were George Russell (Mercedes, who missed out by 0.038s), the Haas duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, Daniel Ricciardo (RB) and Lance Stroll (Aston Martin).

Chinese GP Grand Prix SQ2 results: Verstappen fastest from Leclerc

1 - 2
Cla	Driver	#	Chassis	Engine	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h
1	M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing	1	Red Bull	Red Bull	3	1'35.606		205.254
2	C. Leclerc Ferrari	16	Ferrari	Ferrari	4	+0.105 1'35.711	0.105	205.029
3	S. Perez Red Bull Racing	11	Red Bull	Red Bull	3	+0.175 1'35.781	0.070	204.879
4	O. Piastri McLaren	81	McLaren	Mercedes	3	+0.247 1'35.853	0.072	204.725
5	L. Norris McLaren	4	McLaren	Mercedes	3	+0.441 1'36.047	0.194	204.312
6	C. Sainz Ferrari	55	Ferrari	Ferrari	4	+0.446 1'36.052	0.005	204.301
7	V. Bottas Sauber	77	Sauber	Ferrari	4	+0.450 1'36.056	0.004	204.293
8	F. Alonso Aston Martin Racing	14	Aston Martin	Mercedes	3	+0.513 1'36.119	0.063	204.159
9	L. Hamilton Mercedes	44	Mercedes	Mercedes	4	+0.681 1'36.287	0.168	203.803
10	Z. Guanyu Sauber	24	Sauber	Ferrari	4	+0.701 1'36.307	0.020	203.760
11	G. Russell Mercedes	63	Mercedes	Mercedes	4	+0.739 1'36.345	0.038	203.680
12	K. Magnussen Haas F1 Team	20	Haas	Ferrari	4	+0.867 1'36.473	0.128	203.410
13	N. Hulkenberg Haas F1 Team	27	Haas	Ferrari	4	+0.872 1'36.478	0.005	203.399
14	D. Ricciardo RB	3	RB	Red Bull	3	+0.947 1'36.553	0.075	203.241
15	L. Stroll Aston Martin Racing	18	Aston Martin	Mercedes	3	+1.071 1'36.677	0.124	202.981
View full results

What happened in Chinese GP SQ3?

With the track now wet enough for intermediate tyres, and continuous drizzle falling, SQ3 saw plenty of action from the start. Norris went off first, before Leclerc suffered a wild spin and dinging his car’s nose on the barrier.

Perez set the bar at 2m00.455s in treacherous conditions, briefly going a remarkable 2s clear of the chasing pack at the time. Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas then got within a second of him to hold P2 with two minutes remaining.

Verstappen went off at the final corner, as did Norris – who took P2 despite running wide – but both had their times deleted. Alonso grabbed P1 with 2m00.213s, 0.162s ahead of Perez.

Hamilton snatched the top spot with 1m59.321s, six tenths clear of Alonso. Norris set a time good enough for pole, a 1m57.540s, which was initially deleted for exceeding track limits – but was then reinstated. So he qualified on pole, 1.261s ahead of Hamilton, who shaved a further tenth off his time.

Alonso will start third, ahead of Verstappen, Sainz, Perez, Leclerc, Piastri, Bottas and Zhou.

Chinese GP SQ3 results: Norris takes sprint pole

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Gap	Laps
1	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'57.940		5
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'59.201	1.261	5
3	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'59.915	1.975	5
4	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	2'00.028	2.088	5
5	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	2'00.214	2.274	5
6	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	2'00.375	2.435	5
7	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	2'00.566	2.626	5
8	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	2'00.990	3.050	5
9	77	Valtteri Bottas	Sauber/Ferrari	2'01.044	3.104	5
10	24	Zhou Guanyu	Sauber/Ferrari	2'03.537	5.597	5