Delivering one-lap pace under pressure on a Saturday afternoon is a fundamental asset for any driver hoping to secure a strong haul of points come Sunday. But who’s faring well so far in 2019? Motorsport Week takes a look through the data.
Mercedes: It’s oh so close
Lewis Hamilton is statistically Formula 1’s greatest qualifier but this year it’s been a close-run affair between the Mercedes drivers. It is 2-2 between the Silver Arrows and only in Australia has one, in this case Hamilton, out-qualified the other by more than a tenth. Even there the gap was a mere 0.112s. Hamilton again had the edge in Bahrain, beating Valtteri Bottas by 0.066s, while in China and Azerbaijan the tables were turned, albeit to the tune of just 0.023s and 0.059s respectively. Considering Mercedes’ current points advantage the small margins in qualifying could prove critical come Abu Dhabi. If their four best Q3 laps were played one after the other side-by-side Hamilton would cross a virtual finish line first by just 0.096s.
Ferrari: Advantage Seb, advantage Charles?
It’s 3-1 to Vettel at this stage but that does include Azerbaijan, where Leclerc crashed in Q2. On that weekend Leclerc appeared the quicker driver but given his accident it means comparable data is hard to come by. Vettel held the advantage in Australia (0.252s) while that was reversed in Bahrain (0.294s). The gap was exceptionally close in China (0.017s) and if their three respective best Q3 laps are added as a timed total then Leclerc has an edge of a mere 0.025s. Not bad for a youngster.
Red Bull: Max power
Max Verstappen comfortably leads this battle. Pierre Gasly’s pit lane start in Azerbaijan skews the statistics but only in Australia – when he was eliminated in Q1 owing to a communication mix-up – has he got close to Verstappen (0.144s). Gasly was four-tenths down on Verstappen in Bahrain and a mammoth eight-tenths behind in China, albeit the advantage the big teams held meant he still lined up alongside his team-mate on that occasion.
Renault: The new boy edges it
New recruit Daniel Ricciardo has got the better of Nico Hulkenberg but, as expected, it’s been a largely close-run one. Hulkenberg edged it by 0.008s in Australia as both dropped out in Q2 while in Bahrain Ricciardo was on top in Q1 by 0.175s, albeit with the German struggling with power issues. China was settled in Ricciardo’s favour by a mere 0.004s while last time out in Azerbaijan was the anomaly, with Hulkenberg desperately disappointing as he struggled, compounded by going off on one lap and being hindered by yellow flags on another Q1 effort.
Haas: Magnussen on top
Another team with a 3-1 score line is Haas. Grosjean was two-and-a-half tenths up in Australia but Magnussen levelled it in Bahrain by a similar gap. Haas’ error in China meant neither driver was permitted a Q3 run but in Q2 it was close, with Magnussen 0.006s ahead – a lap which resulted in him getting the favoured grid spot over Grosjean. As with Renault, one driver held a sizeable advantage in Azerbaijan, with Magnussen over a second clear of Grosjean, who admitted being shocked by the deficit.
McLaren: All square, but yet not
This one is 2-2 between Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr. but peculiarly it’s never been extremely close. Norris held the advantage in Australia (Q1, 0.382s) and Azerbaijan (Q2, 0.314s) while in Bahrain (0.230s) and China (0.444s) it was Sainz Jr.’s turn to be comfortably ahead. But both in Australia and Azerbaijan Sainz Jr. felt he was hindered by traffic and yellow flags, suggesting that – when all is even – he holds a slight pace advantage over one lap.
Racing Point: Stroll struggling
Sergio Perez has whitewashed Lance Stroll. The Canadian has not yet out-qualified Perez and, given how Esteban Ocon led a tightly-run affair in 2018, it doesn’t reflect well on the team’s new recruit, who has yet to escape Q1 this season. Stroll has proven himself as a fine starter but he would save himself the effort with a stronger Saturday display. Perez's advantage in Q1 so far has been 0.109s, 0.324s, 0.266s and 0.381s. It's not a chasm. But it's not good.
Alfa Romeo: The old guy still rules
Kimi Raikkonen was hardly the one-lap king at Ferrari while Antonio Giovinazzi has conceded that he has always been a better racer than qualifier, so this is not the most engaging of head-to-heads. But Raikkonen nonetheless holds a 2-1 advantage, with China discounted due to Giovinazzi being unable to partake in Q1 after an engine issue. Giovinazzi’s first Q3 appearance in Azerbaijan was capped with a Raikkonen-beating effort, albeit with the Finn ruing traffic on his hot lap, having been the quicker of the pair in Q2.
Toro Rosso: Missed chances
Toro Rosso has had a frustrating start to 2019, believing it had regular Q3 chances, but only grasping one. Alexander Albon edged the battle in Australia (Q2, 0.138s) while he again stayed ahead in Bahrain (Q2, 0.341s), though was assisted by Toro Rosso erroneously sending out Daniil Kvyat on worn tyres for the second Q2 runs. Albon did not take part in qualifying in China after his FP3 crash – giving Kvyat an easy win – while in Azerbaijan the #26 was ahead (Q2, 0.273s), giving a score of 2-2 after the first four rounds.
Williams: George rustles up a 4-0
Neither Williams driver has expressed much interest in their battle given the team’s current plight with its recalcitrant FW42, but it makes for good reading for George Russell at this stage of the season. He’s yet to be out-qualified by Robert Kubica, though it was a close-run encounter in Bahrain (0.040s) and China (0.029s). Either side of that Kubica skimmed the wall as he struggled dearly in Australia, costing him a final Q1 lap, and had a hard hit with the barriers in Azerbaijan, partly explaining gaps of 1.707s (the season's largest) and 0.393s respectively.
