Sainz Jr. and Russell make it 2-3 for Ferrari and Williams. Hamilton will start in fourth, while Verstappen and Leclerc will compete from the back row.
SOCHI, Russia—McLaren is having a good year. Lando Norris finished second a few weeks ago and, now, he has taken the pole for Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix. And it was interesting how he did it.
Following the teams’ orders to drivers to change from intermediates to slick tires, Norris put up the fastest time of the day with a last-second 1:41:993 to take his maiden pole ahead of former teammate, Carlos Sainz Jr., in his Ferrari. Williams’ George Russell took third place, achieving once again after qualifying #2 in Belgium in late August.
Lando Norris: Oh boy, it feels amazing! Manic session. We decided to go slicks. You never think you will get a pole until you get it. Extremely happy, big thanks to the team. They have done an amazing job. We are in the best position we can be in. I am happy. It is my first pole position and hopefully the first of many.
Although pleased with the outcome, Sainz Jr. also reflected on how he could have overtaken Norris on Sunday’s first turn. “Very tricky,” he concluded. “Probably our weakest conditions were on the inters.” Sainz Jr. expects the two Mercedes and the Red Bulls to be much quicker tomorrow, and he was declarative about how to respond. “I’ll do my homework overnight to make sure we don’t lose too much on the line on the dirty side.”
Russell, the third-place qualifier, is now in a position to take his second podium of the season. “Second time (with a top qualifying position) in three or four events, the team has done a fantastic job. We will have a battle on our hands, but we have to go for the podium again—nothing to lose.”
Heavy rain was expected all day, and the earlier morning practice three sessions were canceled because of it.
Even when his pit crew could repair the problem, Hamilton returned to the circuit and could not set a fast lap, complaining of no grip. But while Hamilton had trouble, others were getting a better grip and setting shorter times. Norris overtook Hamilton’s time with minutes to spare, with Sainz Jr. following in second before spinning out at the back of the circuit. Russell also improved his time and overtook Hamilton for third.
Max Verstappen, who will start from the back row on Sunday due to an engine change, only took a formation lap and parked his Red Bull back in the garage in the opening session. The same was for Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari, who exited the second, but like Verstappen will start from the back row for the same reasons.
Along with Verstappen, both Haas drivers Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, along with Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen, were knocked out of the first round, with Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel, the two Alpha Tauri’s of Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly and Williams Nicholas Latifi joined Leclerc exiting the second.
Hamilton, despite his troubles, ended up fourth, while Daniel Ricciardo, fresh off his win in Italy, took fifth in the second McLaren. Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon finished sixth and tenth, respectively, in the Alpines, while Hamilton’s teammate Valterri Bottas placed seventh in the Mercedes. The second Aston Martin of Lance Stroll finished in eighth, and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in ninth.
It’s an early race start on Sunday for U.S.-based Formula 1 fans. ESPN2 will cover the action starting at 8a Eastern/5a Pacific time.
