F1 Qatar GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP1
Minute-by-minute updates for FP1 for the 2024 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix
Max Verstappen arrives in Qatar with his fourth drivers' championship secured, but aware of the significant challenge to help Red Bull to overcome McLaren and Ferrari in the constructors' race.
F1 visits Qatar for only the third time, but in cooler temperatures and with the kerbs flattened significantly, there is plenty to learn in the sole hour of practice on the final sprint weekend of the year.
Who will set the early pace? FP1 gets under way in Losail at 13:30GMT.
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With that, we'll take a break but never fear, we'll be back ahead of sprint qualifying which starts at 5:30pm GMT. Until then, go well!
Here's the full report on Qatar GP's sole practice.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
The pretty sunset shots are in!
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Practice starts are the final order of the session. Leclerc makes the statement lap from Norris, Piastri and Sainz.
The wind dropped considerably at Turn 14 just as these softs runs kicked off. That and the extra grip means the cars are a lot smoother through this complex compared to mid-way through the session.
Piastri skates around the mini gravel traps but is sucked into dropping two wheels into the bigger gravel trap at Turn 6. No harm done, but McLaren will want to look over his car after that off.
Bottas sneaks up to sixth place right at the end of the session which is a mighty lap given Sauber's pace this season. The team hasn't scored a point all year remember.
Leclerc winds up his Ferrari again to extend his advantage at the top of the times with a 1m21.953s as the chequered flag comes out.
Here come the McLarens but they cannot topple Leclerc. Norris goes second with a 1m22.378s, a tiny fraction ahead of Piastri who slotted into third. But the fight for pole looks to be between McLaren and Ferrari so far.
A flurry of soft tyre laps see Leclerc go top with a 1m22.242s from Sainz who is 0.740s off. Then comes Stroll, Russell and Verstappen.
Albon, on the softs, goes third fastest with a 1m23.465s - still four-tenths of a second off Sainz.
The Argentine Williams driver isn't hanging around, as he drops two wheels on the gravel at Turn 5. Multiple drivers are also out on the soft tyres too.
Colapinto is the first to venture out on the soft tyres in order to get a feel for the C3 rubber ahead of sprint qualifying that starts in just over three hours.
Ocon is back out on track though, looking to make up for lost time. Just him, Sainz, Gasly and Colapinto in action at the minute.
Most drivers have returned to the pits again for another breather and set-up tweak before going for a final run in the last 15 minutes of practice.
I’m at Turn 14 now and the wind has really picked up. Several drivers, including Colapinto and Leclerc, having to jink left on exit as they’re unsettled attacking the kerbs, the car then bottoms out and the gust strength all combines. Plus, they’re pushing harder now the early sighters are over.
Ocon is stuck in the Alpine garage with a mechanical issue, having only done nine laps in this session so far.
"That McLaren is flying," Perez says, for unknown reasons.
Sainz beats his team-mate to take top spot with a 1m23.068s - still on the hard tyres. I don't think everyone has their engines turned up to the maximum, but so far it is very good showing for Ferrari.
Norris almost spins his McLaren at Turn 9 but catches the car and eases off. Meanwhile there is now a Ferrari 1-2 at the top of the times with Leclerc leading the way with a 1m23.419s.
Piastri is the next to meet and greet the mini gravel traps, this time at Turn 15, and it looks like the wind is causing a headache for many drivers.
Bit of variation between the lines of the Mercedes drivers at Turn 13 by the end of that first flurry of laps - Russell clipping the inside kerb and Hamilton staying away. Looked like they were both hitting it early on.
Most drivers are back on track, as Norris skates over the gravel trap at Turn 5 before continuing on.
Colapinto drifts on to the kerbs and gravel trap which sends up sparks and dust from underneath his Williams. The team will be terrified of any more wrecks following a tough season - while Colapinto himself is back to an older-spec Williams suspension after his Las Vegas GP qualifying crash.
All drivers bar Lawson have pitted to digest their opening runs. Leclerc is on top from Verstappen, Gasly and Norris.
I’m at Turn 13, the second of three rapid rights at the start of sector three. Kerbs here the big talking point as the tyres are under so much load and punishment. The changes have rounded the edges, but there’s chat in the paddock that the teams won’t know if the problems seen here in 2023 have been fully solved until post-sprint race. From what I’ve seen so far, the drivers are already hitting them hard.
Perez catches a snap at Turn 15 and goes off the track and over the small travel grap which is there to keep track limits in check.
Leclerc nips under the 2023 Qatar GP pole time with a 1m23.702s to go fastest - still on those hard tyres.
Alonso has a hairy moment held up by a McLaren on the left and a Red Bull on the right of the track between Turns 4 and 5. Thankfully no harm done, but traffic is proving a problem in this session.
Verstappen reclaims top spot with a 1m23.885s - so just a tenth of a second off his pole time in 2023. This track is running much faster than the hot race in October last year.
Sainz has to weave his way through a gaggle of cars approaching the final corner meaning his lap is ruined. The TV director cuts to Jean Alesi in the Ferrari garage, but for the eagle-eyed viewers of you out there, he was stood next to Paolo Campinoti who is the big cheese at the Pramac MotoGP squad that recently won the world title with Jorge Martin.
Leclerc, on the hards, goes fastest momentarily before Las Vegas GP winner Russell takes over with a 1m24.901s.
"Brakes feel pretty rubbish, not much bite," Russell reports on team radio. Never a good sign, but he carries on regardless.
Both Williams drivers are also out on the hard tyres, as Tsunoda goes top for RB with a 1m25.970s.
Verstappen heads the early lap times with a 1m26.338s - 1.1s quicker than team-mate Perez fresh out of the box. The Red Bull driver took pole position here last year with a 1m23.778s so there is plenty of lap time to be found.
Most drivers have opted to venture out on the C2 medium tyres at the start of this session but the Ferrari pair are both on the C1 hard tyres. What do they know that everyone else doesn't?
The early takers are Alpine duo Ocon, Gasly plus Bottas and Tsunoda. Alpine has a new front wing to try out this weekend.
Here we go for FP1!
Last year the Qatar GP saw mandated tyre stints due to those pesky kerbs and the high energy going through the rubber with the speedy circuit layout. The kerbs have been massaged for this year so there should be no such trouble...
By: Autosport Staff
