Portuguese Grand Prix: Qualifying Recap

Uralkali Haas F1 Team drivers Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin qualified 19th and 20th, respectively, for Sunday’s Portuguese Grand Prix, Round 3 of the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal.

Both drivers exited qualifying at the end of the opening Q1 knockout round – with only the top 15 advancing to Q2. Mazepin and Schumacher had two timed stints utilizing a new set of Pirelli P Zero Red soft tires for each run. Mazepin clocked a 1:21.941 first time out, bettered by a 1:21.580 next time by only to have the faster lap deleted for exceeding track limits at turn one. Regardless, with his second set of softs on Mazepin dropped his best time to a 1:20.912 to place 20th. Schumacher ended qualifying just ahead of his teammate having banked a 1:20.842 on his first outing before improving again on fresh rubber to lap the 4.653-kilometer (2.891-mile) circuit in 1:20.452. 

Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes claimed pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix in Q3 – the Finnish driver earning his first pole position of the season and the 17th of his Formula 1 career. His fast lap of 1:18.348 beat teammate Lewis Hamilton by a scant .007 of a second.

Nikita Mazepin, Driver No. 9, Uralkali Haas F1 Team

“I felt like yesterday was a very difficult day for me as I just wasn’t very comfortable with the track or with the car. We then made small steps in the right direction this morning – which I like to see, they’re the ones that build foundation. Obviously, the wind has picked up here, which was something I didn’t want to happen as no driver likes wind as it makes the car balance very unpredictable, but the grip has improved since yesterday naturally with all the laps being put down. Overall, the car was feeling much better and I think that’s a good place to be – we were quite close to getting the maximum out of it.”

 

Mick Schumacher, Driver No. 47, Uralkali Haas F1 Team

“Looking at all the free practices I think we were set for higher, but I think some of the other guys and teams managed to make a step ahead with their second set and frankly we didn’t. It could be anything on this track – you get the wrong gust of wind at the wrong moment; you lose half a second in the first sector. I think in general we can be happy, we’re still making consistent steps forward with each race weekend. There’s a big improvement in ourselves and we should be happy with that. I’m feeling more comfortable in the car with every hour and every day, and that makes it easier for me to jump into the car straight away and be on the pace. That’s something that’s very positive and I’m grateful for the team for teaching me the necessaries to do that.”

 

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Uralkali Haas F1 Team

“We had a good FP3, everything was going in the right direction. In qualifying we were a little bit short of not finishing 19th and 20th. I think we’re making progress and getting closer and closer; it just takes a little bit more and we’ll make it not to be last. It’s encouraging how the guys learn and hopefully tomorrow we make another step on that learning curve and finish the race with both cars. That is our aim.” 
 

Saturday's Data

Event: Qualifying for the Portuguese Grand Prix – Saturday May 1
Location: Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portimao
Layout: 4.653-kilometer (2.891-mile), 15-turn circuit
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Air Temps: 18 degrees Celsius (64.4 degrees Fahrenheit)
Track Temps: 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit)
Pole Winner: Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes (1:18.348) 
Result:    Mick Schumacher qualified 19th, Nikita Mazepin qualified 20th 

Free Practice No. 3 Rundown

Schumacher: 15th overall (1:20.033), 22 laps completed
Mazepin: 20th overall (1:20.690), 20 laps completed
Fastest: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing (1:18.489)

Q1 Rundown: 

18-minute session with all 20 drivers – Top 15 advance to Q2

Schumacher: 19th overall (1:20.452)
Mazepin: 20th overall (1:20.912)
Fastest: Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes (1:18.722) 

Q2 Rundown: 

15-minute session featuring the Top 15 from Q1 – Top 10 advance to Q3

Fastest: Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes (1:17.968) 

Q3 Rundown: 

12-minute session featuring the Top 10 from Q2

Pole Winner: Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes (1:18.348)
Second: Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes (1:18.355)