Several Formula 1 drivers are preparing to bid farewell to their current teams at the end of the season. And a number of them are struggling at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Most notably, Lewis Hamilton is hopelessly off the pace of Mercedes teammate George Russell. Hamilton was seventh in Sprint qualifying, sixth in the Sprint and sixth in Grand Prix qualifying – reasonable results for a fourth-place team, but not in the context of Russell competing for top spot.
Peter Windsor is stunned that Carlos Sainz looks more motivated than Hamilton. Sainz is losing his Ferrari drive to the seven-time world champion, but he continues to pressurise Charles Leclerc ahead of his Williams move.
Elsewhere, Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg suffered a surprising Q1 exit on Saturday as he closes in on his Sauber transfer. The incumbent duo – Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas – both showed a surprising turn of pace to qualify 12th and 13th respectively.
Likewise, Kevin Magnussen comfortably outpaced Nico Hulkenberg to reach Q3. Magnussen is driving with the pressure off after Haas let him go to sign Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman.
Ocon will start at the back of the grid in an uncomfortable flashback to the start of the season. As well as Bahrain, he was also on the last row in Hungary.
Ted Kravitz baffled by Esteban Ocon’s woes at the Qatar Grand Prix
Ocon may be growing increasingly desperate for the season to end. His awful qualifying comes after a 17th-place finish in Las Vegas last time out, though that was partly due to a farcical pit-lane drive-through that caught his Alpine mechanics off guard.
It’s been a rather brutal reality check for a driver who spectacularly finished runner-up at the Sao Paulo GP at the start of last month. That remains his only points finish in the last seven races.
Pierre Gasly is running a faster package at Lusail, but Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz still didn’t expect Ocon to be so far off. He’s concerned by his recent run of results.
“What is going on with Esteban Ocon?” he asked on his Notebook. “I know he’s got the old nosecone and front wing, but still, he’s been dreadfully off the pace all weekend. And to be last is not what he wanted.”
Why Esteban Ocon is suspicious about Alpine and Pierre Gasly
Martin Brundle says Ocon is a ‘monster’ who has more potential than shown he’s so far in F1. But his meek end to the season may dampen excitement levels at Haas.
He faces an intriguing battle with rookie Bearman next year. All the pressure on the experienced Frenchman, whose stock will fall if they’re evenly matched.
Before the Qatar GP, Alpine thoroughly examined Ocon’s car. This was after he complained that there was a difference between the two cars, handing Gasly a five to seven-tenth advantage.
Gasly is staying with the team to partner Jack Doohan. It’s understandable that he has priority for new parts on that basis, but Ocon may increasingly feel his concerns aren’t being taken seriously.
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