Max Verstappen (25) is in the best starting slot for the 25th time in his Formula 1 career. Meanwhile, most things went wrong for the Ferrari team in the rain in Canada on Saturday night.
While Charles Leclerc (25) didn’t make the top ten in crucial qualifying, his Ferrari colleague Carlos Sainz jr. (28) received a three-place grid penalty last night for obstructing Pierre Gasly.
– You only have to take your hat off to Verstappen. He is in a class of his own, says Atle Gulbrandsen on the Viaplay show.
The veteran Nico Hülkenberg (35 years old) arrived at a sensational 2nd place. This is the second best Haas qualifying of all time.
– This comes a little out of the blue. But I’m happy and proud, says the German – who has been surprisingly included in Formula 1 racing this season. This is his first full season since 2019.
However, Hülkenberg was summoned by the judges – suspected of having taken too long to return to the pits.
Two of Formula 1’s biggest stars, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) were not among the ten who qualified for the decisive qualifying round.
It’s the third time in a row that Sergio Pérez hasn’t reached Q3 and secured one of the top ten starting places. The Mexican is the only other than his Red Bull colleague Verstappen to have won a Formula 1 race in 2024.
– Strange that Ferrari is missing with Leclerc, says Henning Isdal on the Viaplay show.
Leclerc himself was anything but happy afterwards:
– I had a clear opinion, and we left on something else, says Leclerc and suggests a serious discussion within the Ferrari team.
– Ferrari makes mistake after mistake after mistake when it comes to strategy, says Gulbrandsen of studio Viaplay.
Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell follow Verstappen and Hülkenberg at starting positions three, four and five in Sunday’s race, broadcast on Viaplay at 8 p.m.
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly smokes in Q1. He was furious that Carlos Sainz ruined his knees. Sainz also caused problems for Yuki Tsunoda.
Here is how Gasly reacted:
So it ended with a three-place grid penalty for Sainz – against an already disappointing 8th fastest time in qualifying.
However, the Spaniard wasn’t so humble afterwards:
Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix in 2022 after the race had to be canceled two years in a row due to the pandemic. Before that, Sebastian Vettel had won twice in a row.
Veterans Lewis Hamilton (38) and Kevin Magnussen (30) put on a show at Saturday’s press conference. They talked about the Dane reaching the milestone of 150 Formula 1 races this weekend.
– 150 races is a lot, but it’s not a lot. I am always surprised when new drivers enter Formula 1 and I see their age. When I think of my own age, I suddenly feel so old. Time passes quickly and I am no longer young.
– How old are you? asked Hamilton.
– I am 30 years old.
– 30 ! exclaimed the 38-year-old.
– Are you surprised that I’m not older? Magnussen wondered.
“I think it’s the beard,” Hamilton answered.
– So I look old! People say I look older than my dad, says Magnussen, who is the son of former Formula 1 driver Jan Magnussen.
