Qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix has concluded for the second round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship as polesitter Max Verstappen will lead from Charles LeClerc and Sergio Perez as they prepare for the second Saturday race of the season.
Q1 Results:
The first round of qualifying saw the same five drives from Bahrain out as Bottas and Zhou sandwiched the pair of Alpine’s and the Williams of Logan Sargeant. Zhou was unable to set a time as he was involved in a single-car incident in FP3 requiring a rebuild of his Kick Sauber machine.
Further up the field, Verstappen leads from Lance Stroll as the Aston Martin shows some real pace in Q1.
Drivers out in Q1:
- 16th: Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber)
- 17th: Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
- 18th: Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- 19th: Logan Sargeant (Williams)
- 20th: Zhou Guanyu (Kick Sauber)
Q2 Results:
Rookie Oliver Bearman narrowly missed his shot at a top-10 shootout as he ends the session 11th overall. Nico Hulkenberg provided the drama for the session as his Haas lost power on a flying lap, costing the German driver a potential Q3 position and forced officials to throw a red flag with 10 minutes left in the session. Alex Albon, Kevin Magnussen, and Daniel Ricciardo filled out the remaining spots.
As in Q1, Verstappen was on top of the sheets just a hair above Charles LeClerc.
Drivers out in Q2:
- 11th: Oliver Bearman (Ferrari)
- 12th: Alex Albon (Williams)
- 13th: Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
- 14th: Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
- 15th: Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
Q3 Results:
Max Verstappen, for the second race in a row, is on pole from Charles LeClerc and teammate Sergio Perez. Fernando Alonso attempted to use a tow from the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton down the main straight but had to settle for 4th position ahead of the McLaren pair of Piastri and Norris.
George Russell and teammate Hamilton will start on the 4th row together while Yuki Tsunoda will start ninth ahead of Lance Stroll.
It will be “Lights out, and away we go” tomorrow at 20:00 local time, tune in to watch the action!
FP1 Report – CLICK HERE
FP2 Report – CLICK HERE
FP3 Report – CLICK HERE
FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2024 Schedule
| Date | Session | Time (Local Circuit) |
| Mar. 7th | Practice 1 | 16:30 – 17:30 |
| Practice 2 | 20:00 – 21:00 | |
| Mar. 8th | Practice 3 | 16:30 – 17:30 |
| Qualifying | 20:00 – 21:00 | |
| Mar. 9th | Race | 20:00 |
Qualifying Results:
| POS | NO | DRIVER | CAR | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | LAPS |
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | RED BULL RACING HONDA RBPT | 1:28.171 | 1:28.033 | 1:27.472 | 18 |
| 2 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | FERRARI | 1:28.318 | 1:28.112 | 1:27.791 | 23 |
| 3 | 11 | Sergio Perez | RED BULL RACING HONDA RBPT | 1:28.638 | 1:28.467 | 1:27.807 | 19 |
| 4 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO MERCEDES | 1:28.706 | 1:28.122 | 1:27.846 | 17 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | MCLAREN MERCEDES | 1:28.755 | 1:28.343 | 1:28.089 | 22 |
| 6 | 4 | Lando Norris | MCLAREN MERCEDES | 1:28.805 | 1:28.479 | 1:28.132 | 22 |
| 7 | 63 | George Russell | MERCEDES | 1:28.749 | 1:28.448 | 1:28.316 | 22 |
| 8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | MERCEDES | 1:28.994 | 1:28.606 | 1:28.460 | 24 |
| 9 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB HONDA RBPT | 1:28.988 | 1:28.564 | 1:28.547 | 18 |
| 10 | 18 | Lance Stroll | ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO MERCEDES | 1:28.250 | 1:28.578 | 1:28.572 | 19 |
| 11 | 38 | Oliver Bearman | FERRARI | 1:28.984 | 1:28.642 | 18 | |
| 12 | 23 | Alexander Albon | WILLIAMS MERCEDES | 1:29.107 | 1:28.980 | 16 | |
| 13 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | HAAS FERRARI | 1:29.069 | 1:29.020 | 17 | |
| 14 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB HONDA RBPT | 1:29.065 | 1:29.025 | 12 | |
| 15 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | HAAS FERRARI | 1:29.055 | 10 | ||
| 16 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | KICK SAUBER FERRARI | 1:29.179 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | ALPINE RENAULT | 1:29.475 | 10 | ||
| 18 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | ALPINE RENAULT | 1:29.479 | 9 | ||
| 19 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | WILLIAMS MERCEDES | 1:29.526 | 9 | ||
| RT | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | KICK SAUBER FERRARI | 2 |
