Ferrari Leads Qatar Practice
The first practice session for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix was held at the Lusail International Circuit, marking a significant moment in the ongoing battle for the Constructors' Championship. With the Drivers' Championship already decided, teams are now focusing their efforts on securing points for the Constructors' standings.
Session Overview
Ferrari demonstrated a strong performance in the session, with Charles Leclerc clocking the fastest lap time of 1:21.953. This impressive time places Ferrari in a favorable position as they strive to challenge McLaren in the Constructors' title race.
Top Performers
In the session, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from McLaren secured the second and third positions, finishing with times that were +0.425 and +0.472 seconds behind Leclerc, respectively. Carlos Sainz, Leclerc's teammate at Ferrari, followed closely in fourth place, just +0.582 seconds off the pace.
Notable Rankings
Max Verstappen, the reigning World Champion from Red Bull, faced difficulties during this session, ending up in 11th place. His teammate, Sergio Perez, struggled even more, finishing in 18th position. These results raise questions about Red Bull's competitiveness as the weekend progresses.
Full Results
The complete results from the session are as follows:
- 1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:21.953
- 2. Lando Norris (McLaren) - +0.425
- 3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - +0.472
- 4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - +0.582
- 5. Yuki Tsunoda (VCARB) - +1.092
- 6. Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber) - +1.111
- 7. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - +1.146
- 8. George Russell (Mercedes) - +1.207
- 9. Alex Albon (Williams) - +1.208
- 10. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - +1.235
- 11. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - +1.260
- 12. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - +1.274
- 13. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) - +1.292
- 14. Liam Lawson (VCARB) - +1.609
- 15. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - +1.667
- 16. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) - +1.776
- 17. Guanyu Zhou (Kick Sauber) - +2.035
- 18. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) - +2.086
- 19. Franco Colapinto (Williams) - +2.247
- 20. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) - +2.327
