F1 – Leclerc beats Norris in sole practice session at Lusail ahead of Sprint Qualifying 

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc went quickest in the sole practice session for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Qatar Grandf Prix beating the McLaren duo of Lando Norris by more than four tenths of a second. World Champion Max Verstappen finished in 11th place on the timesheet. 

Both Leclerc and Sainz had trialled this weekend’s event as one at which Ferrari might struggle but in practice the pair were always among the quickest cars. The opening 45 minutes of the session were mostly given over to Medium tyre running in preparation for Sprint Qualifying and the race but the Ferraris, on Hard tyres were quick throughout with Sainz leading the way on a time of 1:23.068s, while Leclerc posted a lap of 1:23.419s.

In the final quarter hour teams began to make the move to the Soft compound C3 tyre and Sainz got things going with a lap of 1:22.982s. Leclerc then moved ahead with a lap of 1:22.242. The McLaren pairing then challenged with Piastri just under two tenths slower, but it was who got closes at that stage as he slotted into P2 just over a tenth off the Monegasque driver. 

Leclerc went for another attempt, however, and he moved back to the top of the order with a 1:21.953 that left him 0.425s ahead of Norris, with Piastri just under five hundredths of a second off his team-mate.

Sainz was left with fourth place ahead of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda who was just over a second off Leclerc’s table-topping lap. Valtteri Bottas had a good session, putting his Kick Sauber into sixth place with a later flyer of 1:23.064. That left him was 0.03s clear of Aston Martin’s seventh-placed Lance Stroll with the Canadian finishing ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, Williams’ Alex Albon, and Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes.

Verstappen looked quick early the session but faded to 11th at the flag, ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg, and TB’s. Verstappen did flirt with the gravel at the end of his final flyer, however. 

2024 FIA Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix – Free Practice 1
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:21.953 30 238.043
2 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:22.378 0.425 24 236.815
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:22.425 0.472 26 236.680
4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:22.535 0.582 30 236.365
5 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1:23.045 1.092 27 234.913
6 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1:23.064 1.111 29 234.859
7 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:23.099 1.146 24 234.760
8 George Russell Mercedes 1:23.160 1.207 27 234.588
9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:23.161 1.208 29 234.585
10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:23.188 1.235 26 234.509
11 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:23.213 1.260 26 234.439
12 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:23.227 1.274 24 234.399
13 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:23.245 1.292 27 234.349
14 Liam Lawson RB/Honda RBPT 1:23.562 1.609 29 233.460
15 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:23.620 1.667 28 233.298
16 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:23.715 1.762 27 233.033
17 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1:23.880 1.927 27 232.575
18 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:24.039 2.086 26 232.135
19 Franco Colapinto Williams/Mercedes 1:24.200 2.247 29 231.691
20 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:24.280 2.327 21 231.471