Montmeló witnessed two astonishing magnitudes this Saturday: the insulting ease with which Max Verstappen took pole position, the first for a Red Bull at the Circuit since Mark Webber's in 2012, for which he only needed one spin in Q3 ; and the popular response from the fans. Up to 100,080 spectators attended the motor temple of Barcelona, in the third best entry on a Saturday in the 33 years of F1 at the Circuit.
A splendid Carlos Sainz, the driver who came closest to the untouchable Verstappen, joined the party in the stands, and Fernando Alonso failed, who went wide at turn 10 and will start from the ninth paint, 1.2 seconds behind the champion . The worst starting position for him this season.
"Thank you, today it has been noticed, having the support of the fans has surely helped", said a happy Sainz, who has climbed on his Montmeló springboard to give himself a boost.
The qualifying session started with the gray sky and the shadow of the water. The exhaust cars took to the track to find the times quickly in the face of the threat of rain, with the track wet from the midday shower in Montmeló. "It's sparking in the pit lane," George Russell radioed Mercedes.
On the warm-up lap, Tsunoda's Alfa Romeo spun and Alonso went slightly off in the last corner, 14, stepping on the gravel. From 10 to 14, the last sector, it was quite wet and dangerous. Race direction decreed red flag. The session was stopped. Only 8 pilots had set time, including Alonso, eighth.
After the break, they all reappeared with soft slicks and Verstappen began to set the tone with a great time. Sainz reported an obstacle from Gasly, and the favorites suffered to get a good time: Alonso was 11th, Leclerc was 17th with 4 minutes to go, Pérez was 16th...
The Mexican narrowly missed, 15th, but Leclerc did not pass and was 19th, third from last, surprisingly, because he was unable to do a fast lap when the track improved. A jug of cold water for Ferrari and the Monegasque, who took pole position last year, and the race was ruined. Hamilton took the first half, followed by Norris and Russell, with Sainz fourth, Verstappen ninth -hindered by Gasly- and Alonso 12th. A first sleeve madness.
The second part of qualifying was already more normal, at least in performance of the regulars. Verstappen returned to the top with a stratospheric time, in 1m12s, Hamilton came close to 239 thousandths of a second, and Alonso half a second (but finished 8th).
The big news was the promotion of Carlos Sainz, who became second, only 0.030 behind the Dutchman as soon as the track improved.
The big surprise was the elimination of Pérez. The Mexican was left out by 51 thousandths after a scare in turn 5. Another of the favorites that struck down. Another fiasco for Red Bull, after his last starting position in Monaco.
The strangest thing that was seen was a dangerous touch at the end of the straight between the two Mercedes. Hamilton, who was in front, saw Russell pounce on him from the left and even break his wing. An action that required investigation by the commissioners.
In the final Q3, Verstappen annihilated the excitement with his first lap, brutal, in 1m12s272, marking the three sectors in purple (best absolute time). The Dutchman left his immediate pursuer, Hamilton, at 9 tenths... A superb bath for the rivals.
Alonso and Sainz waited until the last two minutes to set their best lap and thus reserve a set of tyres. The Spaniard set the fifth time, 1.235 seconds behind Verstappen, but the rivals delayed him to ninth place. His worst position of the year. The man from Oviedo went wide in turn 10 of his attempt, and could have suffered damage to the flat bottom of his Aston Martin.
The man from Madrid, showing how well the Ferraris are doing in a single lap on Saturdays, scored the second best position, his best position of the year. It will be the best asset to try to stop the unbreakable Verstappen.
