With the final qualifying session done, it’s time to judge who did the best job of producing a flying lap to get the best possible place on the grand prix grid in 2024.
Qualifying head-to-heads
No driver managed to go the entire season without being out-qualified at least once by a team mate. Max Verstappen came closest, but Sergio Perez beat him by two-tenths of a second in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. That was the first time in 33 grands prix that Perez had out-qualified the world champion.
Alexander Albon continued his unbeaten run against Logan Sargeant from last year. However Sargeant’s replacement but Franco Colapinto came out ahead twice.
Lando Norris, George Russell, Fernando Alonso and Valtteri Bottas can all draw satisfaction from being conclusively the best qualifiers in their teams. Nico Hulkenberg may have soundly beaten Kevin Magnussen, but Oliver Bearman showed him up on his two appearances as a substitute at Haas.
The closest fight between two team mates occured at Alpine. Had they not dropped Esteban Ocon prior to this weekend’s race, Pierre Gasly would have had the chance to level the score against him this year.
Methodology: Whichever team’s driver reached the later stage or set the faster lap time is judged the winner, unless either did not set a time
Q1
Sauber was by far the weakest team over a single flying lap in 2024. They were the only team whose cars were eliminated in more than half of all opportunities to drop out in Q1. Zhou Guanyu only progressed beyond the first round on four occasions.
McLaren were the best team at getting through Q1, their drivers only falling at the first hurdle once each. Red Bull fell in Q1 six times – but all of those were by Perez’s hand.
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NB. There was one fewer Q1 elimination than Q2 elimination because only one Williams participated in qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix
Q2
With the midfield so closely matched in 2024, and the four quickest teams often booking eight of the available places in the top 10 shoot-out, Q2 was where the midfield aces could make a difference.
Step forward Fernando Alonso, who took his Aston Martin into Q3 16 times to Lance Stroll’s seven. Similarly Nico Hulkenberg claimed 11 Q3 appearances for Haas, Kevin Magnussen managing just three.
McLaren was the only team which never saw any of its drivers drop out in Q2. Their 46 Q3 appearances was the most…
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