Event: Dutch Grand Prix
Track: Zandvoort circuit
Weather: dry 24.6°C
Tarmac: dry 30.5°C
Humidity : 67%
Wind : 12.9 km/h South
Lando Norris scored the 4th F1 pole position of his career during the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix qualifying session today. The McLaren driver will start from P1 for the first time in Zandvoort. It was the 159th pole for the McLaren F1 team.
2024 Dutch Grand Prix Qualifying Report: A Rollercoaster Session at Zandvoort
The 2024 Dutch Grand Prix qualifying session at the iconic Zandvoort circuit delivered an electrifying spectacle, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling race. With the unpredictable Dutch weather playing its part, the session was filled with surprises, heartbreaks, and a nail-biting battle for pole position. Here’s how the action unfolded across the three segments of qualifying.
Q1: Early Exits and High Stakes
The first segment of qualifying (Q1) saw the drivers battling to stay out of the bottom five. The session kicked off under dry conditions, but with the constant threat of rain looming, teams were eager to get their laps in early. Unfortunately, Logan Sargeant, who had crashed heavily during FP3, was unable to participate as Williams couldn't repair his car in time.
As the session progressed, the track began to evolve, with lap times tumbling. Sergio Perez briefly topped the timesheets, but the improving track meant that positions were constantly changing. The biggest shock came when Daniel Ricciardo, Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas, and Zhou Guanyu failed to make the cut, joining Sargeant on the sidelines for the rest of the session. Ricciardo’s exit was particularly disappointing, as the Australian had hoped for a strong result to boost his confidence after a challenging season.
Q2: Big Names Drop Out
Q2 was another intense affair, with several big names finding themselves in the danger zone as the session reached its climax. The track conditions continued to improve, but the tight margins meant that even the smallest mistake could prove costly.
Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton were among those who failed to make it into the top 10. Sainz struggled to find the pace needed to advance, while Hamilton’s lap, though clean, lacked the straight-line speed compared to his teammate, George Russell. Yuki Tsunoda, Nico Hulkenberg, and Kevin Magnussen also missed out on a spot in Q3, with Hulkenberg narrowly missing out despite a spirited final lap effort.
Q3: Norris Snatches Pole from Verstappen
The final segment of qualifying (Q3) was set up to be a thrilling battle for pole position, with McLaren and Red Bull emerging as the teams to beat. As the session began, the threat of rain seemed to subside, allowing the drivers to push their cars to the limit on a fully dry track.
Max Verstappen, the local hero and fan favorite, set an impressive lap early on, going purple in the second sector and putting himself at the top of the timesheets. However, it wasn’t enough to keep the dominant McLarens at bay. Lando Norris, who had been strong all weekend, pulled off a stunning lap to grab provisional pole, only to see Verstappen respond with a near-perfect lap that looked set to secure him his fourth consecutive pole at Zandvoort.
But Norris wasn’t done yet. In the final moments of the session, he delivered a scintillating lap that saw him go three and a half tenths quicker than Verstappen, securing pole position with a time of 1m 09.673s. Verstappen had to settle for second, while Oscar Piastri took third, completing a strong showing for McLaren. George Russell put in a solid performance to claim fourth, while Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc will share the third row on the grid.
A Battle for the Ages Awaits
As the dust settled, Lando Norris celebrated a hard-earned pole position, but he knows the real challenge lies ahead in Sunday’s race. With Verstappen starting alongside him, the Dutch crowd will be on the edge of their seats as the two go head-to-head. The race is expected to be dry, and with tire management and strategy set to play crucial roles, it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top after 72 laps of racing at Zandvoort.
The stage is set for an epic Dutch Grand Prix, with questions looming over who has the better race pace and who can handle the pressure. Will Norris convert his pole into a win, or will Verstappen give the home fans what they’re hoping for? All will be revealed in what promises to be a spectacular showdown on Sunday.
Quickest Sector Times
The fastest sector times on Zandvoort during this qualifying were:
- Sector 1: 23.824 sec by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL38.
- Sector 2: 24.731 sec by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB20.
- Sector 3: 21.030 sec by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL38.
Last years pole position time was a 1:10.567 min, driven by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB19.
Qualifying Times 2024 Dutch GP
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:11.377 | 1:10.496 | 1:09.673 | 14 |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:11.393 | 1:10.811 | 1:10.029 | 14 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:11.541 | 1:10.505 | 1:10.172 | 16 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:11.049 | 1:10.552 | 1:10.244 | 18 |
| 5 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull | 1:11.006 | 1:10.678 | 1:10.416 | 17 |
| 6 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:11.370 | 1:10.689 | 1:10.582 | 24 |
| 7 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:11.493 | 1:10.845 | 1:10.633 | 16 |
| DSQ | 23 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:11.503 | 1:10.768 | 1:10.653 | 18 |
| 8 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:11.518 | 1:10.661 | 1:10.857 | 19 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:11.718 | 1:10.815 | 1:10.977 | 20 |
| 10 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:11.327 | 1:10.914 | 18 | |
| 11 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:11.375 | 1:10.948 | 13 | |
| 12 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 1:11.603 | 1:10.955 | 15 | |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas | 1:11.832 | 1:11.215 | 17 | |
| 14 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 1:11.630 | 1:11.295 | 15 | |
| 15 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Racing Bulls | 1:11.943 | 9 | ||
| 16 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:11.995 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | 1:12.168 | 9 | ||
| 18 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber | 1:13.261 | 9 | ||
| DNQ | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams | 0 |
Notes:
- Alex Albon, Williams #23 has been disqualified, due to floor body found to lie outside the regulatory volume.
✅ Don't forget to check out our 2024 Dutch F1 Grand Prix preview info.
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I truly hope Norris doesn't mess up the start from pole position this time around, especially considering who'll start in P2.
Stroll, Albon, & Gasly were positive surprises in qualifying, while Sainz & Hamilton were surprise eliminations in Q2.
Sauber is again nowhere, so Sargeant is more or less the only driver they might be able to out-perform on merit in the race, given the latter's lack of running & consequently, race preparation this weekend.