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F1 Chinese GP Live Commentary and Updates – FP1 & Sprint Qualifying
Friday's action from the fifth round of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
After five years away, F1 returns to Shanghai and with it the first sprint race format of the 2024 season.
Teams and drivers will have just one 60-minute practice session to get up to speed before the revised sprint race schedule for this year kicks in – starting with sprint race qualifying on Friday afternoon.
Practice starts at 4:30am BST (11:30am local time) followed by sprint race qualifying at 8:30am BST (3:30pm local time).
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Ok if you predicted Stroll to top this session, well done you! The Aston Martin is three-tenths faster than the rest of the grid!
Perez crosses the line and goes almost identical to Verstappen and Piastri - the trio are separated by only 0.06s.
Two minutes to go in the session and Perez is back out on track trying to find pace on his first lap time. Verstappen has gone purple in sector two, too.
Stopwatch
Hello Oscar Piastri. The Australian goes fastest of all with a 1:36.629.
Team-mate Norris was four-tenths up after the first two sectors but pulled into the pits following traffic late in the lap.
Team-mate Norris was four-tenths up after the first two sectors but pulled into the pits following traffic late in the lap.
Ricciardo needs a strong weekend and his effort for fifth is very welcome.
Make that sixth as Magnussen splits the Red Bulls for Haas.
Make that sixth as Magnussen splits the Red Bulls for Haas.
Stopwatch
Perez first knocks Albon off, only for Verstappen to blitz the entire field.
The Dutchman is 0.498s faster with a 1:36.660.
The Dutchman is 0.498s faster with a 1:36.660.
The panda helmet is working nicely for Albon, but his time at the top may be shortlived with the Red Bulls now prowling the final sector...
Stopwatch
That seems a strong pace from Albon. He goes a second faster than team-mate Sargeant and sets the benchmark with a 1:37.229.
Sainz was on a fast lap but a scrappy middle sector sees the Ferrari bail out.
I was saying I've never seen the extended run-off at the pit entry... Piastri has just done the same thing. Do not say the London buses thing...
Here we go. With just under a quarter of the session left to run, Sargeant has kicked off the qualifying simulations.
The American goes second for Williams.
The American goes second for Williams.
Alonso has found a bit of track I never knew existed, to be quite honest. A lock-up on pit entry saw him slide straight on and into the run-off area.
This is such a difficult session to read in terms of strategy but, given the widespread use of medium or hard tyres, it is fair to assume the soft won't be used to start the sprint.
Hamilton retakes eighth on the leaderboard with his latest lap on hard tyres. The sector splits show he is up in the first and second parts of the lap compared to Russell, but losing out massively in the final sector.
The new Alpine floor was initially targetted for Miami and, whilst it's been fast-tracked, it is available only for Ocon this weekend.
Talking of fast laps, an upgraded floor for Alpine seems to be working for Ocon as he goes fifth.
Verstappen isn't shooting for the stars in the RB20, he's on his 14th lap on these medium tyres. Will there be a surge of fast laps at the end?
The first show of Mercedes pace has come from Russell as he slots into sixth.
Hamilton goes eighth, sandwiching Hulkenberg.
Hamilton goes eighth, sandwiching Hulkenberg.
Home hero watch: Zhou is enjoying a promising session in 11th.
The crowd is notably plump in the grandstands, at least more plump than can usually be said at the circuit in years gone by.
The crowd is notably plump in the grandstands, at least more plump than can usually be said at the circuit in years gone by.
Norris has been into the gravel like former team-mate Sainz before him, the McLaren's back end wagging like a dog at dinnertime.
Hamilton has been given a black and white flag for crossing the pit entry line during that skirmish.
Stopwatch
Soft tyres to the top as Ferrari throws down the marker.
Leclerc leads Sainz by two-tenths after posting a 1:38.130.
Leclerc leads Sainz by two-tenths after posting a 1:38.130.
That was close! Hamilton was looking for a gap to start his lap but with four cars in close proximity, he was "pushed off" by McLaren's Piastri at the final corner. A trip through the pits is his consequence.
A floor check will be on the way at Ferrari... Sainz has just drifted wide to drop a wheel into the gravel on the exit of Turn 10.
It may be early days here and lap times may not be the most representative, but the half-a-second gap between Ricciardo and Tsunoda will bring a smile to the Australian's face!
One driver yet to set a lap time is Russell, who seems content to leave running for now. Team-mate Hamilton currently sits two seconds off the pace.
Green flag
Anyway, we are back on track, led by Albon's Williams.
Perez had managed to jump up to second before the reds were flown, with Hulkenberg still third for Haas.
Perez had managed to jump up to second before the reds were flown, with Hulkenberg still third for Haas.
What could have caused that? It's hard to see any reason for a fire to start like that with the temperature as it is. Has the sparking of the underfloors drifted onto the grass and caught alight?
This is a new one for me - F1 is full of surprises!
There is a large patch of grass that has caught fire, with a marshal now on the scene to extinguish the flames.
There is a large patch of grass that has caught fire, with a marshal now on the scene to extinguish the flames.
Quote
"There is a fire on the inside of Turn 7."
Red flag
Well, this is a bit bizarre... I'll let Ocon explain.
Stopwatch
The Red Bull looks like it is working really well... Verstappen goes faster again with a 1:38.498.
Hard to tell what Ferrari is trying to do with its running as Sainz and Leclerc slot 15th and 16th.
Interestingly, Ferrari is showing its tactical hand with the soft tyres.
Strategy is already at play!
Strategy is already at play!
Stopwatch
Verstappen's latest lap sees him stretch his advantage at the top by three-tenths as the second Red Bull slots 0.049s behind.
Ocon has slotted nicely into third for Alpine, albeit on the faster, softer tyres. Bottas and Stroll are the only others within a second of the top.
Aston Martin has bolted the hards on for its drivers and Alonso has found pace straightaway to move within 0.011secs of Verstappen's early benchmark
Verstappen's team-mate Perez is the first to explore the run-off area around the circuit, but no harm done.
Given the treatment that has been given to the track surface, the grip doesn't seem too bad. The times are only going to tumble from here!
Given the treatment that has been given to the track surface, the grip doesn't seem too bad. The times are only going to tumble from here!
Stopwatch
Verstappen has decided it's time to go top already - no one else is allowed their fun!
The Red Bull is 1.182secs faster than Gasly.
The Red Bull is 1.182secs faster than Gasly.
Bottas gets things rolling on the medium tyres with a 1:40.679, though he's beaten by soft-running Gasly instantly.
By: Autosport Staff
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