F1 Qualifying Results 2021 Qatar Grand Prix
Event: Qatar F1 Grand Prix
Track: Losail International Circuit
Lewis Hamilton scores his 102nd pole
Weather: dry 26.2-25.6°C
Tarmac: dry 29.8-28.4°C
Humidity: 65.8%
Wind: 0.3 m/s S
Pressure: 1009.4 bar
Lewis Hamilton qualified as quickest for the 102nd time in his F1 career and scored pole position for tomorrow's Qatar Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver will start from P1 for 4th time this season. It was the 133rd pole for the Mercedes F1 team.
Q1
Red Bull put on a bigger back wing on Max Verstappen's car compared to FP3. Both Haas driver were the first to enter the track. The sun already had set and floodlights were lighting up dark track. Mick Schumacher set the first lap time but it was deleted by the stewards for exceeding track limits. After the first run Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheet with a 1:22.019 min. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was +0.2s behind on P2 and AlphaTauri driver PIerre Gasly on +0.8s on P3.
With 5 minutes to go the driver in the drop zone for Q2 were: Nicholas Latifi (Williams), Kimi Räikkönen (Alfa Romeo), Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo), MIck Schumacher (Haas) and Nikita Mazepin (Haas). All drivers in the elimination zone did improve, but did not make it into Q2.
Q2
After the first stint Hamilton topped the timesheet with a 1:21.682 on medium tyres. With 5 minutes to go the driver who had to improve to make it into Q3 were: Lando Norris (McLaren), Sergio Perez (Red Bull), George Russell (Williams), Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).
In the end only Norris made it into Q3, which was quite extraordinary. It was the third time Perez didn't make it into Q3. Gasly and Alonso had a great lap and they even ended up as second and third.
Q3
Both Mercedes' cars kicked off Q3 with Hamilton in front. After the first stint Hamilton was fastest with a 1:21.262 min. Verstappen was second on +0.162s and Bottas was 3rd on +0.216, while Gasly was 4th on +0.379s. Alonso was 5th on 0.408s.
The second stint also was kicked off by Hamilton. Verstappen came out with only 2:38 min to go. Hamilton took off 0.3 sec. off and the British driver will start on P1 for the 102th time tomorrow.
Qualifying Times 2021 Qatar GP
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
| 1 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:21.901 | 1:21.682 | 1:20.827 | 18 |
| 2 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:21.996 | 1:21.984 | 1:21.282 | 18 |
| 3 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1:22.016 | 1:21.991 | 1:21.478 | 20 |
| 4 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | 1:22.535 | 1:21.728 | 1:21.640 | 19 |
| 5 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine | 1:22.422 | 1:21.894 | 1:21.670 | 18 |
| 6 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:22.839 | 1:22.216 | 1:21.731 | 21 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:22.304 | 1:22.241 | 1:21.840 | 21 |
| 8 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 1:22.458 | 1:22.058 | 1:21.881 | 18 |
| 9 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:22.565 | 1:22.012 | 1:22.028 | 18 |
| 10 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | 1:22.549 | 1:22.146 | 1:22.785 | 21 |
| 11 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull | 1:22.398 | 1:22.346 | 12 | |
| 12 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:22.551 | 1:22.460 | 15 | |
| 13 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:22.742 | 1:22.463 | 15 | |
| 14 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | 1:22.688 | 1:22.597 | 15 | |
| 15 | 63 | George Russell | Williams | 1:22.863 | 16 | ||
| 16 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Alfa Romeo | 1:23.156 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | 1:23.213 | 10 | ||
| 18 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo | 1:23.262 | 8 | ||
| 19 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | 1:23.407 | 9 | ||
| 20 | 9 | Nikita Mazepin | Haas | 1:25.859 | 9 |
Max Verstappen, Red Bull (no.33) - Deletion of fastest lap time in Q3 during yellow flags
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Ominous!
Yes Jax, that describes the situation nicely - however, LH is prone to poor starts this season, while MV has been very sharp off the start line. Checo might as well be on a different circuit for all the support he can offer. On recent form, might be better for VB not to get in the mix, unless he can defend LH into the first corner!
True. His starts are his only weakness that he hasn't consistently corrected. But not concerned. Avoidance of Mad Max's corner shenanigans are more important. Lewis's pace will hunt and dispatch Max in due course if necessary. As to Bottas defending from Max....pfft.
Let's get it on.
Sainz got lucky through Leclerc's, Perez's, & Ricciardo's slowness. Gasly also got lucky despite no one getting yellows.
Hamilton's pole lap, though.
Done deal.....end of race VER's lead will be 7 or 4 points (excl. fast lap point) unless we have a bar fight. Feel free to go to brunch after the first corner.