George Russell expressed optimism regarding his qualifying performance in Spain, where he secured fourth place, ultimately leading the first lap after successfully overtaking Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. He acknowledged that while they weren’t in contention for pole position, their standing in the top five during qualifying reflects the car’s strengths on Saturdays. Russell emphasized the focus on enhancing race pace, indicating they made significant adjustments to the car’s setup that were promising without compromising their qualifying speed.
Lewis Hamilton, who qualified down the grid but only 0.499 seconds off pole, shared that he felt “relatively happy” with his performance, noting an improvement from prior sessions. Charles Leclerc, however, faced challenges in qualifying due to his team’s tire strategy, using a set of softs in practice which limited his options. He expressed hope that their tire choice would yield favorable results during the race.
Fernando Alonso showcased his skills by briefly reaching fifth place in qualifying before slipping to lower within the top ten. He celebrated his performance over the radio but recognized the competitive nature of the session. He noted the positive impact of car upgrades introduced recently, although he and his team acknowledged that the vehicle still presents challenges to drive.
In a more unfortunate turn of events, Alonso’s teammate, Lance Stroll, was unable to participate in the race due to a wrist injury necessitating surgery. Stroll reported ongoing pain believed to stem from an earlier procedure following a cycling accident where he broke his wrists. The team stated that they cannot substitute Stroll with a reserve driver because he had already qualified.
Yuki Tsunoda, Verstappen’s teammate, struggled during qualifying, finishing last and stating he was uncertain about the reasons behind his slow pace.
The weekend’s events underscore the competitive nature of Formula 1 and the ongoing battle for teams to optimize performance ahead of the race, highlighting the resilience and adaptability required in such a fast-paced sport.