Marko Hanželic
Because security fence repairs, injured by participants in the accompanying series, the first part of the qualifiers began with a ten-minute delay. Before the start of qualifying, it was also clear what damaged the tire on the car Kimi Räikkönen on the third free practice. Pri Pirelli they explained that Finch's car was hit by one of room, which are otherwise placed between the side edges and cut the tire.
From the point of view strategies for tomorrow's race it is also interesting to note that they are at Mercedes for the Q1, where tire selection plays no role for the race, use medium-clutch tires, which could mean that soft tires keep for tomorrow.
Q1 - Tsunoda crashed and then spat at the car
Let's focus now the first part of the qualifications, in which we expected a steady line-up in the last five places, but after the first attempts it seemed that one of the team's drivers could land there again Aston Martin. The drivers on the racetrack caused a lot of headaches, as at one point there were as many as four race cars in the chicane.
Za an unpleasant surprise and a place among the last five he eventually took care of Yuki tsunoda, who ended up in 16th place, and the young Japanese most likely had additional concerns in a post-qualifying interview in which he complained about his weaknesses. AlphaTauria AT02. They lined up behind him Raikkönen, who failed to cash in on a good third workout, Schumacher, which overtook again Latifia and this year’s regular red lantern holder, Nikita mazepin.
Q2 - Perez saved, Aston Martin not…
Unlike most other races, this time most teams decided that their racers would be the second part of the qualifiers. vehicles on soft compound tires. In this respect, Antonio Giovinazzi stood out, opting for medium tires.
He was the fastest in the first attempt Max Verstappen, who overtook all the pursuers by half a second with a time of 1: 16,9. Not even two Mercedes racers could approach him, which is why we expected a fierce fight for pole position. After the first attempt, they would drop out Ocon, Perez, Vettel, Giovinazzi in Russell, which of course would not be to the liking of the bosses Red Bulla who want a Mexican to look much taller.
Perez managed to save himself in the second attempt, which cannot be said for both drivers of the team Aston Martin, who landed in 11th and 13th place. He pushed in between them gasly, which we also expected higher, Giovinazzi in Russell however, they were one of the candidates to say goodbye after Q2 anyway.
Q3 - Hamilton, despite Perez's pirouette, the fastest
V first attempt In the third part of the qualifications, we saw an intertwining of two events, which in the end still led to the jubilee hundredth pole position for Lewis Hamilton. The latter is in spite of the fact that he turned in front of him Sergio Perez, set the limit with a time of 1: 16,741, which no one managed to cross in the second attempt and will start the race for the hundredth time tomorrow from the first starting position. It also means that it is Mercedes v Barcelona undefeated since 2013.
With less than four hundredths lagged second place in the qualifiers Max Verstappen, a good tenth for Hamilton however, his teammate finished Bottas, who later said in an interview that a mistake in the tenth turn most likely cost him pole position.
He confirmed his good form Charles Leclerc, which will Bottas tomorrow worked company in the second row, behind him Or with, who again got internal doubts with Alonso (10th place), and from sixth to ninth place they ranked Carlos Sainz, Daniel Ricciardo, Sergio Perez in Lando Norris, who was more than satisfied with his achievement.
Spanish GP, qualifications - results:
