For most of qualifying, it looked like pole position was going to come down to Mercedes versus Max Verstappen.
Then Lewis Hamilton entered the conversation.
And just when it looked like we understood the battle at the front, Lando Norris produced the lap of the session.
Norris delivered a stunning final run to take pole position, beating Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen when it mattered most.
Where did that lap come from?
Bearman Sidelined Before Qualifying
Before Q1 even began, the field was already one driver short.
Oliver Bearman did not participate in qualifying following his major crash during FP3.
It was another reminder of how unforgiving this new circuit can be. The track is extremely technical and tight in several areas, leaving drivers with little margin when they begin pushing toward the limit.
That became obvious almost immediately.
Mercedes Survives Early Q1 Scares
Kimi Antonelli had one of the first major moments of qualifying when he suffered a huge lock-up. Fortunately, there was enough runoff available for Kimi to escape without ending his session.
George Russell had his own scare when he tapped the wall, but the Mercedes escaped without significant damage.
Neither mistake stopped Mercedes from showing serious speed.
By the end of Q1, Russell had gone fastest overall, Antonelli finished second, and an impressive Liam Lawson took third.
Mercedes finishing Q1 first and second immediately made them look like the early favorites for pole.
Verstappen Answers in Q2
Then Max Verstappen reminded everybody that he was still there.
Max was absolutely ringing everything possible out of his Red Bull, attacking the circuit and putting together a lap good enough to finish fastest in Q2.
Antonelli remained right behind him in second, while Lewis Hamilton moved into third.
After two sessions, the picture seemed relatively clear.
Mercedes had the pace.
Verstappen had the pace.
Pole appeared destined to be decided between them.
But qualifying wasn’t finished with its surprises.
Hamilton Suddenly Joins the Fight
Early in Q3, Hamilton produced a ridiculous lap.
Lewis jumped to provisional pole, immediately changing what had looked like a Mercedes-versus-Red Bull battle.
Suddenly Ferrari had a legitimate chance as well.
But there was another factor becoming increasingly important as qualifying progressed: track evolution.
This was a new circuit, and every lap put more rubber onto the surface. As the drivers gained confidence and the track continued improving, going later potentially offered a significant advantage.
But there was also a risk.
On such a tight and technical circuit, waiting until the very end could leave a driver vulnerable to a yellow or red flag. One mistake from somebody ahead could destroy everyone else’s final attempt.
The drivers had to balance getting the best possible track conditions with actually making sure they got a clean lap.
And then came Lando Norris.
Where Did That Lap Come From?
Norris hadn’t looked like the obvious pole favorite throughout qualifying.
Mercedes had controlled Q1.
Verstappen had controlled Q2.
Hamilton had just produced a lap strong enough for provisional pole in Q3.
Then Lando delivered.
On the final runs, Norris put everything together and jumped to the top of the timing sheets to take pole position.
It was exactly the kind of qualifying lap that makes the final minutes of Q3 so entertaining. For most of the session, you’re watching one battle develop.
Then somebody completely changes the story.
Behind Norris, Antonelli completed an excellent qualifying session by taking P2, putting the young Mercedes driver on the front row.
Verstappen finished P3, still securing a strong starting position after looking like one of the primary pole contenders throughout the session.
Final Top Three
🥇 Lando Norris — P1
🥈 Kimi Antonelli — P2
🥉 Max Verstappen — P3
Norris gets the best possible starting position.
Antonelli has another opportunity to show why his pace has been so impressive.
And Verstappen will be sitting directly behind both of them.
That gives us a very interesting run into Turn 1.
Tomorrow Could Be Chaos
If qualifying showed us anything, it’s that this circuit demands precision.
We saw lock-ups.
We saw drivers touching walls.
We saw the track evolve throughout the session.
And we saw the identity of the pole favorite change multiple times before Norris ultimately grabbed it.
Now add race starts, fuel loads, tire degradation, strategy and an entire grid fighting for position.
This track already looked difficult with one car attacking it at a time.
Tomorrow we’ll have 20 of them trying to race around it.
Lando Norris starts from pole. Kimi Antonelli starts alongside him. Max Verstappen waits directly behind them.
After the unpredictability we just saw in qualifying, I wouldn’t assume anything about how this race is going to finish.
Like the article? Subscribe to Ethical Sports Takes for more F1 recaps, predictions and sports discussion.
Leave a Reply