2024 Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying Update – JP
2024 Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying Preview
James punt has already posted an outright preview, you can read that here. Check out James’ 2024 Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying preview below.
2024 Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying
So far, so good for McLaren. First and second in FP2 and FP3, with FP2 being the most relevant session conditions wise, but FP3 saw the cars running in what will be close to their final setups.
McLaren
Probably better than expected, but they do have the car that has the biggest sweet spot, certainly one that is easier to find. I thought Lando Norris gave a bit away in his post FP2 interview. He said that they had the power unit turned up, and that he thought that the others had not. Norris was grinning like a Cheshire cat while saying all that. He knew the car was sweet. Piastri was right up there with him, and that tells me the car is good.
Mercedes
Russell is struggling, but Hamilton has been thereabouts. Not good enough to think they can make pole position. Second row would be his limit.
Red Bull
The car was full of understeer on Friday, and the team worked their magic overnight and Verstappen was up to fourth in FP3. He was very good on the mediums, but he didn’t find too much on the softs. There should be more from Verstappen later today, and he looks likely to be Norris’ main threat.
Ferrari
In more than a spot of bother. Not as fast as expected and Leclerc faces a ten-place grid penalty come Sunday. He may have sacrificed a bit of one lap pace for a better race pace as he faces a climb through the pack. The problem is that if he can only qualify fifth or sixth, he is going to start a long way back.
Their hopes for the Constructors’ Championship were slim before practice, they are now very remote. Sainz has been a lot closer to Leclerc in recent qualifying sessions, 3-2 up in the last five. If Leclerc has gone for race pace over one lap pace, which makes sense, Sainz should improve on that recent record.
Haas
Making a late charge for sixth place? Magnussen has been eighth in all three sessions, Hulkenberg faster still. Their one lap pace looks good, and their race pace is none too shabby either. Both cars making Q3 for the second time this season?
Visa RB
Running a new front wing, so they have not given up in the Constructors’ battle. Tsunoda looks to be right on the cusp of Q3, Lawson has been erratic.
Williams
Albon is in the same boat as Tsunoda, on the cusp of the top 10. Colapinto finished stone last in FP2 and FP3. It will have been hard for the team to put two fully working cars together, and Albon has got the better of the two. Their long run pace didn’t look great.
Sauber
Bottas looked in decent shape in FP3, but both drivers were out of the top fifteen today. They should get one car into Q2, likely with Bottas.
Alpine
Gasly is not a mile off making Q3, but it is very tight. Doohan was one place behind Gasly, but he is running an old spec car, without the new front wing.
Aston Martin
The usual dross from Stroll and Alonso is not a lot better. Race pace looked better, but a poor season looks like going out with a whimper.
Fastest Qualifier
Lando Norris has been the fastest qualifier in three of the last six races, and over the season he has only been bettered by Verstappen. He is 19-4 with his teammate Piastri and must be fancied to top the timesheets today.
