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OCTOBER 7, 2023
Sprint Shootout Report - McLaren front row as Verstappen on brink
© McLaren
By Peter Habicht
Piastri was fastest in today's Sprint Shootout\
Oscar Piastri was fastest in today's Sprint Shootout to take P1 ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who struggled with track limits on his final flying lap attempt as the pair outpaced the field on a newly reprofiled Lusail circuit.
Drivers were permitted an additional ten minute session ahead of the Sprint Shootout to get familiar with a revised layout following an announcement earlier today from tire supplier Pirelli that this weekend's tires were subject to extremes of heat and loading on the circuit's curbing which resulted in concerns about their safety and use. With evidence of excessive tire damage from limited data after yesterday's running, Pirelli and the FiA found a solution by painting new curbing marks at turns 12 and 13, reducing the width of the circuit by about 80cm and lowering forces of the tires as a result.
Track limits continued to be a factor today as several drivers were caught out at various turns exiting wide on manditory hard, medium and soft compound tires through each round. A total of 31 deleted lap times affected 17 drivers, including Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who was able to claim third ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
Nico Hulkenberg was an impressive seventh for Haas, followed by Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were next for Alpine as Lewis Hamilton qualified 12th for Mercedes. Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas was 13th, with AlphaTauri rookie Liam Lawson and Bottas teammate Guanyu Zhou next in the order.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll continued to struggle in 16th today, followed by Williams' Alex Albon, AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda and Haas' Kevin Magnussen. Logan Sargeant was not classified after failing to bank a hot lap running out of time in the session with deleted laps. Following a request by the Williams team, he will allowed to start based on his earlier times set in practice.
Verstappen needs three more points (a sixth or better finish) tonight to secure his third World Drivers' Championship.
Tonight's Sprint will take place at 8:30p.