07/12/2024
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's qualifying session the air temperature is 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is 30 degrees.
It was another McLaren 1-2 earlier, this time Piastri coming out on top.
Leclerc, who already has 10-place grid penalty, was clearly struggling, and consequently the constructors' title is McLaren's to lose.
As was the case yesterday it was the battle behind that excited with the leading fourteen drivers covered by 1.001s, with the Haas pair very much in the move.
While Perez' fate must clearly be sealed by now - unless Carlos Slim is to buy the team, the remainder of the weekend offer the perfect opportunity for a potential to serve notice... likewise the likes of Doohan and Colapinto.
Look at FP2 and FP3, we saw a number of drivers running wide, and with the track limits now coming into play we could yet see some surprises.
In the moments before Q1, there is frantic activity around Gasly's car.
The lights go green and the Aston Martin pair - as is tradition - Alonso heads out on a set of hards that he intends to scrub for tomorrow. His teammate is on softs.
Russell leads his teammate out, both following Alonso's example and running the white-banded rubber. Perez follows, on softs.
Stroll posts a benchmark 24.366 as more drivers head out.
Perez crosses the line at 23.559, however his time is deleted for exceeding the track limits at Turn 1.
Albon goes quickest (24.153) and his teammate third, however Colapinto's time is deleted. Both Williams drivers having 5-place grid drops after taking on new gearboxes.
Sainz goes quickest with a 23.487, as Verstappen goes second, ahead of Leclerc and Tsunoda.
Quickest in S2, Magnussen goes third, as Piastri goes fourth and Norris fifth. Hulkenberg goes seventh with a 23.772.
Russell goes eighth and Hamilton ninth, as Alonso goes tenth.
A 23.729 sees Stroll improve to eighth.
Perez disputes his track limits violation, the Mexican, like Colapinto, yet to post a time.
Hamilton told that he's losing out to Sainz in Turns 6 and 7.
With 3:35 remaining, ahead of the final assault, the danger zone comprises Gasly, Zhou, Doohan, Lawson and Perez. However, as the Mexican has his time reinstated, and is promoted to third, it's bad news for Bottas.
"This is unbelievable," says Hulkenberg of the traffic jam in the pitlane.
Zhou goes twelfth, as his teammate goes quickest with a 23.481.
Tsunoda goes eleventh as Hamilton is warned that it will be tight. There is a queue at the final corner.
Gasly goes fourth but Leclerc goes top.
Norris can only manage ninth, as Albon goes fifteenth.
Verstappen remains fourth, Alonso fifteenth and Russell ninth while Hamilton can only manage eighteenth.
"I messed that up big time, guys," admits the seven-time world champion after running over a bollard that had been dislodged by Magnussen.
Quickest is Leclerc, ahead of Bottas, Sainz, Verstappen, Gasly, Perez, Magnussen, Piastri, Russell and Norris.
We lose Albon, Zhou, Hamilton, Colapinto and Doohan.
A lot of drivers are clearly very frustrated, and as a result the air turns a shade of blue... could community service penalties await?
Among those clearly angry is Lawson who - on a flying lap - happened across a very slow Russell on the racing line.
Verstappen is first out for Q2, as he comes towards the end of his out lap, Russell heads out, followed by the Haas pair and the Ferraris.
Soon all bar Piastri are on track.
Hulkenberg is under investigation for a pit exit incident.
Verstappen posts a benchmark, and very impressive, 22.998.
Russell crosses the line at 23.805 while Hulkenberg responds with a 23.522.
Sainz goes second as Magnussen aborts his lap.
Norris goes second with a 23.098, as Lawson goes sixth, ahead of Leclerc, Stroll and Magnussen.
Alonso goes eighth.
Tsunoda goes third (23.427) but is demoted by Piastri (23.199) as Perez goes ninth.
Leclerc reports that he almost went off into the wall at Turn 14.
Magnussen leads out his teammate as the final assault gets underway. Soon they are joined by the other thirteen drivers.
Magnussen can only manage eleventh, while his teammate goes second with a 23.040.
Gasly goes third, Russell sixth, Perez seventh and Stroll tenth.
Sainz is quickest in S2, as Alonso goes sixth over, thereby demoting his teammate.
Leclerc goes top but has his time deleted, as Sainz takes his place with a 22.985.
Lawson remains eleventh as Bottas goes ninth, thereby demoting Tsunoda.
A disaster for Leclerc and Ferrari. "No freaking way," says the Monegasque when told that his time had been demoted.
Quickest is Sainz, ahead of Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Norris, Piastri, Alonso, Russell, Bottas and Perez.
We lose Tsunoda, Lawson, Stroll, Leclerc and Magnussen.
Check out our Saturday gallery from the Yas Marina here.
"The gaps are tight," admits Zak Brown, "so this could be a wild qualifying. We need two mega laps from our drivers, so I think pole is in this, front row. But there are lots of cars in this, so we'll need a good lap."
Hulkenberg is first out for Q3, ahead of Russell, Perez, Verstappen and Sainz.
Hulkenberg sets a benchmark 23.492 while Perez goes second with a 23.679 ahead of Russell 23.697.
As he exits the final corner Verstappen has a very, very hairy moment and almost hits the pit-wall, nonetheless he crosses the line at 22.945. A brilliant save by the Dutchman.
Piastri goes second but has his time deleted, his teammate going second moments later with a 22.949.
Gasly goes fifth and Alonso sixth as the shock and surprises keep a coming.
Piastri has his time reinstated, to put the Australian back in third.
Perez gets the final assault underway, followed by Bottas, who is only making one run, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Piastri and Alonso. Fresh softs all round.
Perez goes fourth with a 23.264 as a 23.204 sees Bottas demote him.
Hulkenberg goes top with a 22.886!
Gasly goes fourth, as Piastri stops the clock at 22.804.
Alonso goes sixth, Sainz second, but both are demoted when Norris crosses the line at 22.595.
Russell goes seventh while Verstappen appears to abort his lap.
So, it's an all-McLaren front row with Norris on pole. Behind, Ferrari's hopes rest on the departing Sainz, while Hulkenberg will look to leave Haas with the best of all Christmas presents.
Also in the mix are Gasly, along with that wily old fox Alonso, not forgetting Bottas.
"I think we made good progress across the weekend," says Sainz, "but McLaren have been a step ahead.
"Still a race to do tomorrow," he continues, "but we will do everything to try and win the race.
"I'm going to give it everything, I was pushing in qualifying like never before, the same tomorrow as it might be my last chance of a win. Nothing to lose."
"It was a bit trickier today compared to last night," adds Piastri, "we took a while to find our feet but got there in the end.
"Last lap, yeah I wish I could have had that again but P2 is a good spot and 1-2 is the dream for the team."
"A perfect day for us," says Norris, "probably a little tougher than we were hoping for but my lap in the end was strong.
"Just how we wanted to end today. We have to beat Ferrari, that's the aim but we want to do it in style. We want to win, I want to win. I'll give it everything I've got."
Check out our Saturday gallery from the Yas Marina here.