F1 qualifying outcomes: Lando Norris storms to the entrance in qualifying on the Dutch Grand Prix

This week McLaren introduced a bunch of upgrades to the Dutch Grand Prix, their first large set of enhancements to the MCL38 for the reason that Miami Grand Prix.

Lando Norris captured his maiden Method 1 Grand Prix victory that week, and if Saturday is any indication, he’s on a path to safe his second F1 Grand Prix on Sunday.

Norris turned in a dominant efficiency on Saturday throughout qualifying, taking pole place forward of his good friend and the person he’s chasing for the F1 Drivers’ Championship, Max Verstappen.

“A tremendous day, good to be again and begin with a pole,” mentioned Norris to Jolyon Palmer trackside after qualifying. “The automotive was feeling superb, we’ve acquired some upgrades on the automotive for the primary time shortly, and every thing’s working very well and a giant due to the crew.”

After all, Norris has been right here earlier than. That is the third time he has taken pole place for a Grand Prix this season, after doing so on the Spanish Grand Prix and the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Nonetheless, at each races Norris failed to carry on to the lead for the lead for the primary lap. That is one thing Palmer hinted at trackside.

“I’m excited for tomorrow, I’m certain it’s going to be powerful,” mentioned Norris in response to a query concerning the run into Flip 1, which is shorter than regular at Zandvoort. “Max has been fast all weekend, I do know we acquired him right this moment however he’s nonetheless second and he’s going to be placing up struggle, particularly at his residence race, however I’m trying ahead to it.”

That opening lap could also be a pivotal second on this F1 season. If Norris can maintain onto the lead on Lap 1, it will likely be one other marker on this spectacular marketing campaign from him and McLaren, who will see Oscar Piastri begin behind Norris in P3.

And if Norris can go on to transform this pole place right into a victory?

That might be the largest win of all for him, and McLaren.

Listed below are the total qualifying outcomes from an exhilarating day at Zandvoort, in addition to some extra winners and losers:

Winner: Max Verstappen

Within the topsy-turvy world that’s F1 in 2024, a second-place end result for Max Verstappen in qualifying can actually be categorized as a win for him.

Whereas the McLarens seemed robust all week forward of qualifying, splitting the duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri may need been the absolute best end result. That may give Verstappen an opportunity at grabbing the lead from Norris on the opening lap, and an opportunity at denying McLaren the front-row lockout they’re in search of at Zandvoort.

Verstappen appeared to trace at such in his feedback trackside after qualifying.

“I attempted the very best I may, I’m nonetheless very blissful to be on the entrance row,” mentioned Verstappen to Jolyon Palmer trackside after Q3. “I’m proud of second. I feel after yesterday, this can be a good end result.”

Requested about his possibilities of successful tomorrow, Verstappen did his finest to handle expectations.

“We’ll give it go,” mentioned Verstappen, “however I feel we have now to be real looking.”

Verstappen has two objectives over the rest of the season: Maintain on to P1 within the Drivers’ Championship and do every thing he can to disclaim McLaren a real shot on the Constructors’ Championship.

Whereas he didn’t seize pole place at Zandvoort, a P2 end result on Saturday is an efficient begin.

Losers: Sauber

Sauber’s painful streak seems to be to proceed.

In the meanwhile, Sauber is the one crew but to attain a single level this F1 season. Any hopes of the crew breaking that ignominious streak took a critical beating on Saturday, with each Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas failing to advance to Q2. Bottas completed in P18 in Q1, with Zhou behind him in P19.

Solely Logan Sargeant’s failure to take to the monitor prevented Sauber from locking out the again row of the sphere.

Haas was the final crew to complete the yr with out scoring a single level, again within the 2021 season. Time is working out on Sauber as they appear to keep away from the identical destiny.

Winner: Alexander Albon

A yr in the past in Zandvoort Alexander Albon stormed to the entrance of the sphere in qualifying, placing his FW45 on the second row with a P4 efficiency.

Whereas he couldn’t fairly match that end result on Saturday, Albon stormed into Q3 and put his upgraded FW46 into P8, his finest qualifying efficiency of all the 2024 F1 season.

It was additionally simply the fourth time Albon has superior to Q3 this yr.

As we are going to see in a second issues have been a lot more durable on the opposite facet of the storage for Williams, however with the crew languishing down in ninth place within the Constructors’ Championship standings, seven factors behind eight-place Alpine, each optimistic end result counts.

And this was a really optimistic end result for Albon and Williams.

Loser: Logan Sargeant

Photograph by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Photographs

Now we head to the opposite facet of the storage …

Saturday’s third and last observe session at Zandvoort noticed a crimson flag within the closing moments, as Logan Sargeant spun into the barrier at Flip 5. Whereas the Williams driver was capable of stroll away from the shunt, the rear of his Williams FS46 caught fireplace, making a harmful second for Sargeant.

The injury to the FW46 was an excessive amount of for the crew to beat, as Sargeant was unable to take part in qualifying on Saturday.

This comes at a crucial juncture in Sargeant’s motorsport profession. With Carlos Sainz Jr. coming to Williams subsequent season, Sargeant is on the lookout for his subsequent cease in motorsports. May that be IndyCar with Prema, the group he as soon as drove for in F2? Or may that be some place else?

Both approach, this accident put Williams behind the eight ball, as famous by Workforce Principal James Vowles. “There’s lots of of hours spent on the replace, it seems to be prefer it’s working, however there’s few of them on the planet,” he instructed Sky Sports activities F1. “Actually, the worst time is if you’ve simply launched it with small quantities of bits and put it into the wall on the circuit.”

Winners: Aston Martin

How about a couple of phrases about Aston Martin?

This has been a slightly quiet season for Aston Martin, as they discover themselves mired in the midst of the F1 subject. They presently sit fifth within the F1 standings, 39 factors forward of sixth-place VCARB, and underneath no critical problem for that place.

Nonetheless, Mercedes is a whopping 193 factors away from them in fourth place, and Aston Martin seems to be unlikely to make up that floor over the ultimate ten races of the 2024 F1 season.

Nonetheless, Saturday was a robust end result for Aston Martin, who noticed each Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll advance into Q3. When the checkered flag flew it was Alonso up in P7, and Stroll in P9. That end result provides Aston Martin an opportunity to carry residence a double factors end result on Sunday, one thing they’ve carried out simply 4 instances this season.

Loser: Daniel Ricciardo

Earlier this week Daniel Ricciardo addressed his unsure F1 future. “I’ve each alternative in entrance of me and that’s the sweetness, it’s as much as me,” Ricciardo instructed Sky Sports activities F1 on Thursday. “Sure, there may be all the time strain from myself, and that of the Crimson Bull system, however I do know if I do a job, I’ll have a seat and someplace to race.”

His Dutch Grand Prix acquired off to a rocky begin.

Ricciardo completed sixteenth in Q1, bringing his qualifying session to an finish earlier than Q2 started. He’ll begin behind the sphere, on a monitor the place it’s traditionally troublesome to make up important floor given the tight and twisty structure at Zandvoort.

And with Liam Lawson regularly looming within the Visa Money App RB F1 Workforce storage, it is likely to be time to begin questioning if Ricciardo’s time is working out.

Loser: Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton entered the Dutch Grand Prix on a excessive word, with a run of three straight podiums and a pair of victories. Whereas his win at Spa got here by way of a disqualification to teammate George Russell, and a promotion as much as P1 after crossing the road second, his win at Silverstone got here wholly on advantage.

Nonetheless, factors is likely to be powerful to return by Sunday at Zandvoort, not to mention a fourth straight podium end. Hamilton, after ending fifth in Q1, solely managed a P12 in Q2, bringing his qualifying to an in depth.

It was simply the third time all season Hamilton was eradicated in Q2.