LeClerc made a very scrappy lap in the first session and Norris had a time deleted. Both had to rely on their second and final attempt. The track got better and better as more rubber was laid down. The name at the top changed with every car past the chequered flag. Norris managed to get the McLaren to give the fastest lap, which should have been a confidence boost after a dodgy weekend to that point. Behind him was Hadjar and Tsunoda in their Racing Bulls, definitely catching some eyes with Lawson finishing last. Out went Gasly, Bearman, Doohan and Bortoleto with him.
The second session was incident-free. Again the Racing Bulls finished well, Hadjar 4th and Tsunoda 5th. Out went Ocon, Hulkenberg (former team mates next to each other on the grid), Alonso, Stroll (still not out-qualifying his geriatric team mate) and Sainz, who was unable to improve his first lap time set. Hamilton has now laid down a clear marker for how quickly a top driver can fit in with a new team; Sainz is not living up to it.
After the first round of laps set in the final session, only Antonelli had any drama, with a lap deleted for exceeding track limits. Piastri put in a record lap for the track to secure his first proper pole. Russell put in a good lap too to be alongside him. Norris aborted his final lap and finished 3rd. Then it was Norris, Verstappen, Hamilton, LeClerc, Hadjar, Antonelli, Tsunoda and Albon.
Horner, TP of Red Bull, thought it would be all about strategy and not about starting position, batting off comments about Lawson.
I don't think it will be long before LeClerc really starts complaining. Could Fred have already been setting things up in deference to Hamilton's preferred style?
An early prediction is that Tsunoda will get a mid-season call up to the Big Team, Red Bull.
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