Piastri Secures Pole Position at 2024 Qatar Grand Prix in McLaren 1-2

Lusail, qatar – Oscar Piastri of McLaren claimed⁢ pole ​position for the 2024 FIA ‍Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, narrowly‍ edging out teammate ⁤Lando Norris in⁤ a thrilling qualifying ⁤session. Red Bull’s Max⁢ Verstappen will start third, completing the top three.

Piastri set a blistering lap time of 1:19.387, with Norris just 0.108 seconds behind. The result marks a significant achievement for McLaren,securing a⁤ front-row lockout and demonstrating‍ the team’s growing⁢ competitiveness. verstappen,‍ the championship leader, qualified third with a time of 1:19.651, followed closely by the Mercedes pairing of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. This qualifying result is especially noteworthy as ⁢it’s the first race ⁣weekend‍ with Antonelli in the‍ Mercedes lineup.

The session was briefly interrupted by red flags in Q3 after Carlos Sainz Jr.⁣ left the garage ​with plastic ​wrapped around his rear left tire,which subsequently came loose and ended up on the track.⁢ Sainz will ⁣be investigated ⁤for an​ unsafe release. Fernando Alonso qualified eighth for Aston Martin, ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly⁤ and Ferrari’s ⁤Charles Leclerc.

Q2 saw Norris initially have his fastest time deleted due to a track limits infringement, but he ultimately recovered ‌to secure ‌second place. Drivers eliminated at the⁤ end of ‌Q2 included Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber), Liam Lawson⁣ (Racing Bulls), Ollie Bearman (Haas), Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), and Alex Albon (Williams).

In Q1, Yuki ​tsunoda initially appeared to have made it‍ through to Q2, but was⁢ ultimately edged ⁣out by Gabriel Bortoleto, though Tsunoda will start 15th⁢ due to Bortoleto receiving a⁢ five-place‍ grid penalty for a collision at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Esteban Ocon‌ (Haas), Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), Lance⁢ Stroll (Aston Martin), and Franco Colapinto (Alpine)​ were also eliminated⁤ in ​the opening segment.

2024 FIA Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix – Qualifying

1 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:19.387
2 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:19.495
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:19.651
4 George russell Mercedes 1:19.662
5 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:19.846
6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT⁣ 1:20.114
7 Carlos Sainz⁤ Williams/Mercedes 1:20.287
8 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:20.418
9 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:20.477
10 Charles Leclerc⁢ Ferrari 1:20.561
11 Nico Hülkenberg‍ Sauber/Ferrari 1:20.353
12 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:20.433
13 Oliver​ Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:20.438
14 Gabriel⁢ Bortoleto ⁢Sauber/Ferrari 1:20.534
15 Alexander Albon⁤ Williams/Mercedes 1:20.629
16 Yuki Tsunoda Red bull/Honda RBPT 1:20.761
17 ⁣Esteban Ocon haas/Ferrari 1:20.864
18 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:20.907
19 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:21.058
20 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 1:21.137

GT​ Racing’s Top Drivers to ‍Clash at 2025 FIA GT World Cup in Macau

Macau, [Date of Release – implied from context] – The world’s most prestigious sprint race for GT3 machinery, the FIA GT World Cup, is set to return to the challenging streets of Macau in 2025, ⁢attracting a stellar field of manufacturers, factory drivers, ​adn privateer teams. A total ‌of 16 drivers from 12 nations will ​compete on the 6.12-kilometre Guia Circuit, with eight ‌Platinum-ranked drivers⁢ highlighting ​the remarkable⁣ level of talent.

Former winner ‍Markus ​Engstler, who last claimed victory in 2017, will be back ‌for a second attempt, aiming for a strong performance after a qualifying crash in 2024. He now ⁣races as an established GT3 driver following a season in the DTM.

Porsche is fielding ‌the largest single-manufacturer effort with five‍ 911 GT3 R (992) entries. Leading⁤ the charge is 2019 winner Laurens ⁣Vanthoor for‍ Tempo by Absolute Racing, alongside​ Alessio Picariello in a sister car. Schumacher CLRT ⁢will feature newly crowned​ DTM champion Ayhancan Güven and ‌Laurin Heinrich, representing ​Porsche’s emerging factory-backed GT talent. Dorian Boccolacci, driving for Phantom Global Racing, ⁢further strengthens Porsche’s line-up.

Audi Sport⁤ returns with two R8⁣ LMS GT3 Evo2s run by FAW Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom, driven by factory veteran Christopher ⁢Haase and versatile​ Swede Joel Eriksson. ⁣Hong‌ Kong’s Adderly Fong‍ will compete under the ‍Uno Racing Team⁤ banner,‌ bringing valuable ‌experience of the Guia Circuit and local interest​ to ⁤the ‍audi contingent.

McLaren ⁤is making its long-awaited FIA GT World Cup comeback with Optimum Motorsport,after last competing⁤ in ⁢the inaugural event in 2015.Benjamin Goethe, a frontrunner in the GT World ​Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, will pilot ⁣the‍ team’s single 720S GT3 ‌Evo.

A revised⁢ qualifying format will be ​implemented this year. Alongside the established 30-minute⁣ qualifying session (Q1), the fastest 10 drivers​ will advance to a ‘Super Pole’ session (Q2). This segment will see⁤ each driver complete two individual qualifying laps with the benefit of a new set‍ of tyres.

The race program will remain consistent with last⁢ year,⁢ featuring a 12-lap Qualification Race‍ followed by a 16-lap Main Race to determine the FIA ​GT World Cup winner.

The 2025 FIA⁤ GT World Cup will share the Macau Grand Prix‍ billing with the FIA FR World​ Cup, the ⁤Kumho Tyre FIA‍ TCR World Tour season finale, and the newly introduced⁢ FIA Formula 4 World Cup, expanding the total number of FIA-sanctioned competitions ⁣at the ‍72nd Macau Grand Prix to four.

Fans can watch the ⁣event live and free of charge via the‌ FIA’s official YouTube channel:⁣ https://www.youtube.com/@FIAOfficialVideo.

Ecclestone Presents Medal to Norris at Austrian Grand Prix

Formula 1 Legend Honors Race Winner

In a surprising turn of events, Bernie Ecclestone presented the FIA President’s Medal to Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix. This special honor highlights the significant victory, blending the history of Formula 1 with a personal touch of recognition.

Medal Ceremony at Red Bull Ring

At the invitation of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Ecclestone gave the medal to Norris, who clinched victory at the 1136th Grand Prix in Formula 1 history. This medal, created to commemorate outstanding achievements, links each winner to the sport’s legacy.

Ecclestone shared his thoughts about the honor. He stated:

“I think it’s really nice that the President gives a personal congratulations to the winning competitor. As he could not attend the Formula 1 race here in Austria, he asked me to present his medal for him which I am pleased and honoured to do. It was also great to be there, as though it might seem strange, this was the first time in almost 70 years in this sport that I’ve actually been on the podium! So, that was also nice .”

—Bernie Ecclestone

The first medal was presented to Max Verstappen at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. That race was the 1079th race in the World Championship. The FIA’s initiative brings a unique element to the sport, as the global Formula 1 fan base is estimated to be around 1.9 billion people (Statista, 2024).

Significance of the Award

The Austrian Grand Prix marked Norris’s seventh career win. Ecclestone, a prominent figure in Formula 1 for many years, was pleased to present the medal on behalf of the FIA President. His presence added extra significance.

This tradition highlights the personal connection between the sport’s leadership and its victors. It marks each achievement with a lasting symbol of recognition.