Qatar Grand Prix Free Practice: Updates, Rankings, and Technical Innovations

15.55 – Mechanics at work on Leclerc’s SF-23.

15.53 – “This noise was bad, what happened to the engine?“. Leclerc opened up like this on the radio after the power unit gave him worrying feedback in the pit lane. The Monegasque is now stuck in the pits.

15.52 – Alonso sets the record in the first sector and takes the lead (1:28.624). We are still eight seconds away from the 2021 pole.

15.51 – In fact, Verstappen and Leclerc arrive close behind, the Ferrari driver takes the lead with a time of 1:29.082.

15.50 – Another outburst from Alonso, who limits his time to 1:29.439. Track that gets better second after second.

15.50 – The ranking after 20 minutes:
1. Russell 1:29.725
2. Verstappen +0.158
3. Norris +0.182
4. Alonso +0.516
5. Leclerc +0.519
6. Sainz +0.986
7. Hamilton +1.023

15.47 – Leclerc fourth, half a second behind Russell. The Monegasque is also with hard rubber.

15.47 – Immediate response from Russell, clearly the driver most at ease in the difficult track conditions. The Brit turns in 1:29.725.

15.46 – No sooner said than done: Verstappen takes the lead with the record in the last sector (25,903). 1:29.883 the time of the reigning world champion.

15.45 – Red Bull starts slower than usual, with Verstappen fourth and Perez tenth.

15.44 – Ferrari situation: Sainz fifth at +0.903, Leclerc seventh at +1.513.

15.42 – Alonso-Russell back and forth, with the Brit signing a 1:29.979 thanks to which he inflicts a +0.547 gap on the Spaniard.

15.41 – You can clearly see the sand kicked up by the cars, combined with the setting sun it is a problem for visibility.

15.40 – We are obviously very far from the pole position of two years ago (1:20.827) and the track is constantly evolving.

15.39 – Russell improves with records in the first and second sectors, 1:31.613 for the British.

15.39 – Only one lap for Leclerc, the Monegasque immediately returned to the pits asking for more load.

15.38 – So far they are all on hard tires except Magnussen, Tsunoda, Bottas, Zhou and Lawson, who are running on medium.

15.37 – “I can’t see anything“. Max Verstappen complains on the radio saying he can’t see anything due to the dirt kicked up by the cars on the track.

15.37 – Russell regains the lead and makes the first move, albeit with hard tyre: 1:32.955.

15.36 – Fernando Alonso takes the lead in 1:34.724, but Russell is responding.

15.34 – George Russell in front in 1:34.898 on hard tyre.

15.32 – First minutes with a lot of action already on the track, the first to set a valid time is Kevin Magnussen.

Green light at the end of the pit laneFree Practice begins.

15.25 – Ferrari could compete for the podium with McLaren, even if the SF-23 was a step behind the MCL60 at Suzuka. In five minutes we will start to have clearer indications.

15.23 – The circuit is for maximum downforce, and should therefore go in the direction of Red Bull. Even McLaren – which has performed well so far on tracks with a similar layout – should be fast and could be the “others'” favorite to fight for the podium.

15.20 – The wind can be a variable both in terms of balance and as a factor that brings dirt onto the track. The track will be another unknown, as it has been completely resurfaced.

15.18 – The wind data should also not be underestimated: around 21 km/h from the north west.

15.15 – 36 degrees in the air, 42 on the asphalt: everything is ready in Lusail for free practice.

15.10 – When there are only 20 minutes left until the start of the only free practice session, let’s remember that today’s action will already have practical effects in terms of the race: in fact, qualifying will begin at 7pm, which will decide the starting grid of the Grand Prix Sunday Award. The teams will only have this hour to fine-tune the car throughout the weekend.

15.05 – Here are all the technical innovations that the teams will present at Lusail, also to get feedback for 2024.