Verstappen had his repoker against a big Alonso

After the Sprint race, it was time to change the chip. Teams can change car settings to unleash the potential one lap before qualifying for Sunday’s race (9:00 am/DAZN). But what hasn’t changed is the dominant: Verstappen added a new pole, the fifth in a row in the first five races of the year, after winning the sprint race. One of the red bull He ended up dominating Saturday with an iron fist by dropping the time to 1:33.680.

Beside you Fernando Alonso He produced an impressive classification after being sanctioned minutes before his clash with Sainz in the sprint race. Furious, the Spaniard finished third, only to be overtaken by the Red Bulls in a lap that only the best could do. Carlos Sainzwill start seventh after crashing in Q2.

In the first attempt in Q3, the fastest was Verstappen, who was the only one capable of breaking the 1:34 barrier (1:33.977). But there is no doubt that the one who gave the surprise was Fernando Alonso who got through the Red Bulls with a scandalous first sector. He finished second, 0”394 behind the Dutchman. Behind them the McLarens and the Ferraris seem to hide more than they should.

With no margin for error, it was time to make the second and final attempt, everyone tightened the screws. Verstappen dropped his time further to 1.33.660 and Pérez completed the Red Bull double, three tenths behind the Dutchman. The Mexican grabbed the front row at the last moment from Fernando Alonso, who was the best of the rest throughout Q3 with two laps of another level with the Aston Martin. The Spaniard would finally start third ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

[+] This is what the Chinese GP starting grid looked like

As for the Ferraris, this time Charles Leclerc won the game against Carlos Sainz, who had an accident shortly after. The difference is only 8 thousandths between the two and the Monegasque will start sixth and the Spaniard seventh. Russell will start eighth.

This time the ‘outsiders’ are Hülkenberg putting Haas in ninth position and Bottas tenth in Sauber.

Sainz’s roller coaster

In Q2 Carlos Sainz lived in chaos. The Spaniard put two tires on the gravel right at the entrance to the finish line, lost control of the SF-24 and went straight into the wall. Race management brought out the red flag and Sainz was able to reprimand the car and take the car to the pits to try to repair all the damage before time ran out. At Ferrari they achieved this and Carlos made a clean sheet and finished third to exit Q3.

For his part, Lance Stroll continued to stay away from Alonso and was the first to be eliminated outside the TOP10 with Aston Martin. Ricciardo, Ocon, Albon and Gasly followed.

Disaster for Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton continued his disastrous start to the season. The Briton finished second in the sprint but his joy was short-lived as he made a mistake in his final Q1 attempt, going wide in the 14th corner, and did not improve the time as much as needed. Then, with the track improving, those behind took the opportunity to overtake the Englishman’s record, which would eventually start in 18th. A drama.

Pérez miraculously saved the tools as he finished 15th by setting his second record with used rubber. An action that almost cost him. Others who were eliminated were Zhou, Magnussen, Tsunoda and Sargeant.