Technical analysis of qualifying gaps at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix

Written by fanf1
Technical analysis of qualifying gaps at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix
Credit: FanF1

The 70th Anniversary Grand Prix provides an opportunity to examine the performance gaps observed during qualifying. A graph clearly illustrates this situation and reveals interesting details that traditional timetables do not show.

The chart above shows each driver's performance during the three qualifying sessions. Rather than raw lap times, it displays performance gaps, so that the distance between the lines reflects the actual time differences for each session. This allows us to see the pure pace of the drivers throughout qualifying, highlighting any underperformance. Each line is anchored to the reference time for its session (Q1, Q2, or Q3), which clarifies several points:

1. The Mercedes cars dominate the field, with significant gaps in Q1 and Q3. The only notable exception is Hulkenberg's strong performance in Q2, where he set a faster time than Hamilton. 2. Both Ferraris were lagging behind in Q1, and Vettel's difficulties continued in Q2. 3. Gasly shone in Q1 and Q2, securing a solid seventh place in Q3 and remaining on par with the best in the session. 4. Albon was competitive in Q1 but was unable to maintain this level in the following sessions. Note: The chart does not indicate the tire compounds used in each session, a factor that can greatly influence lap times. This information may be added later if there is sufficient interest in this type of analysis. 1. Valtteri Bottas – Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport – Q1 1:26.738, Q2 1:25.785, Q3 1:25.154, 20 laps. 2. Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport – Q1 1:26.818, Q2 1:26.266, Q3 1:25.217, 20 laps. 3. Nico Hulkenberg – SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team – Q1 1:27.279, Q2 1:26.261, Q3 1:26.082, 18 laps. 4. Max Verstappen – Aston Martin Red Bull Racing – Q1 1:27.154, Q2 1:26.779, Q3 1:26.176, 12 laps. 5. Daniel Ricciardo – Renault F1 Team – Q1 1:27.442, Q2 1:26.636, Q3 1:26.297, 14 laps. 6. Lance Stroll – SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team – Q1 1:27.187, Q2 1:26.674, Q3 1:26.428, 18 laps. 7. Pierre Gasly – Scuderia Alpha Tauri Honda – Q1 1:27.154, Q2 1:26.523, Q3 1:26.534, 18 laps. 8. Charles Leclerc – Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow – Q1 1:27.427, Q2 1:26.709, Q3 1:26.614, 16 laps. 9. Alex Albon – Aston Martin Red Bull Racing – Q1 1:27.153, Q2 1:26.642, Q3 1:26.689, 18 laps. 10. Lando Norris – McLaren F1 Team – Q1 1:27.217, Q2 1:26.885, Q3 1:26.778, 18 laps. 11. Esteban Ocon – Renault F1 Team – Q1 1:27.278, Q2 1:27.011, Q3 –, 12 laps. 12. Sebastian Vettel – Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow – Q1 1:27.612, Q2 1:27.078, Q3 –, 14 laps. 13. Carlos Sainz Jr. – McLaren F1 Team – Q1 1:27.450, Q2 1:27.083, Q3 –, 12 laps. 14. Romain Grosjean – Haas F1 Team – Q1 1:27.519, Q2 1:27.254, Q3 –, 16 laps. 15. George Russell – Williams Racing – Q1 1:27.757, Q2 1:27.455, Q3 –, 11 laps. 16. Daniil Kvyat – Scuderia Alpha Tauri Honda – Q1 1:27.882, Q2 –, Q3 –, 6 laps. 17. Kevin Magnussen – Haas F1 Team – Q1 1:28.236, Q2 –, Q3 –, 9 laps. 18. Nicholas Latifi – Williams Racing – Q1 1:28.430, Q2 –, Q3 –, 6 laps.
19. Antonio Giovinazzi – Alfa Romeo Racing – Q1 1:28.433, Q2 –, Q3 –, 6 laps. 20. Kimi Raikkonen – Alfa Romeo Racing – Q1 1:28.493, Q2 –, Q3 –, 6 laps.