BARCELONA, SPAIN – JUNE 22: Max Verstappen from the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepare to drive in the garage during the final practice before the Spanish F1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 22, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
In the end, Verstappen was just 0.020s off Norris’ lap time, securing him pole position. This highlights the significant changes in the qualifying order since F1’s last visit to Barcelona in 2023, when Max took pole and Norris finished third, half a second behind Red Bull’s best qualifying performance today.
Aside from the start of the season, Verstappen is aware that he now faces fierce competition. The days of 2023, when he dominated every race and no other driver came close, are gone. The Red Bull’s #1 car was practically unbeatable back then. However, the current scenario is completely different.
Throughout the weekend, Verstappen tirelessly sought the ideal setup in the Red Bull RB20. In his distinct and skillful manner, he managed to extract speed from the Barcelona package, something his teammate Sergio Perez couldn’t do today and struggled to match in challenging situations.
When the checkered flag was waved to mark the end of the qualifying session, it was Norris who claimed first place (P1). This result wasn’t too hard for Verstappen to accept, considering it could have been his rival Lewis Hamilton, who has recently been in great form with the resurgent Mercedes. Hamilton will start Sunday’s race in third place (P3).
Talking about the parc fermé in Barcelona after qualifying, Verstappen expressed his thoughts, saying: “I believe everything came together well during qualifying. Throughout the weekend, we have been striving to find a consistent balance. I was quite pleased with my performance in qualifying. Sometimes that’s just how it goes, but overall, we can still be satisfied with our performance, and there is still everything to play for in the race.”
Verstappen also shared how his teammate Perez inadvertently helped him during the session, stating: “I got a beneficial tow from Checo in Q3, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. It happened by chance. I didn’t even know where Checo was on the lap until I was informed, so I decided to try and follow him.”
“During qualifying, the wind started picking up a bit, which may have made it more challenging for us in Q3. However, it was a solid performance from our side,” added Verstappen, who comfortably won last year’s Spanish GP with a 24-second lead over his rival Hamilton, who finished in third place.
Perez struggled throughout the weekend to find the ideal balance that suits his driving style at the Circuit de Barcelona. His lap time was 0.658s slower than Verstappen’s effort, resulting in an eighth-place (P8) starting position for the experienced Mexican driver.
In the Red Bull team report, Perez discussed another below-expected qualifying performance: “I’m not satisfied with my position, our goal was to be higher up. Qualifying was challenging, we initially had difficulties and unfortunately, we quickly wore out the tires, which prevented us from maximizing our performance.
“My final lap in Q3 wasn’t as smooth as it needed to be. We lacked rhythm and speed. We needed to progress throughout the session, but we couldn’t do that. We will work hard to improve for the race.
“We implemented some positive changes, so we should be on the right track for Sunday. Starting in P11 with the grid penalty will make the race difficult, and it will be crucial to have patience and take advantage of the right opportunities, especially if it rains, as anything can happen.
“We must be prepared to perform when it matters. I hope we can earn valuable points and take them away from our competitors,” added Perez, who currently holds fifth place in the 2023 F1 Championship after nine races.
The team boss, Christian Horner, summed up his team’s Saturday: “It was a very competitive session. We matched our time from Montreal and today we lost by only two hundredths of a second. However, it was an impressive performance from Max and the team.
“It is equally satisfying to see Checo reaching Q3. However, he will face a challenge with the three-place penalty, putting him in 11th. Nevertheless, everything is at stake tomorrow. We made significant improvements to the car overnight, which positioned us well on the front row.
“Considering that this circuit has one of the longest straights to turn one, starting in second place is not necessarily a disadvantage. Furthermore, there is a chance of rain, especially in the morning, which could make race day exciting.
“I believe that this race will not be determined solely by the start; it will also be influenced by tire management, degradation, and how the left-side tires behave,” predicted Horner, whose team currently leads the F1 Constructors’ Championship points table.
© 2024
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