With Red Bull’s Max Verstappen only able to qualify fourth fastest for Saturday’s 19-lap sprint race, the hope will be that there is some action at the front for once.
That may depend on the weather. If conditions on Saturday are dry, Verstappen, who has won every race this season bar the Australian Grand Prix when his car suffered a brake failure, is likely to be able to move through the field and assume his habitual position at the front.
If not, there may be an opportunity for Norris or Hamilton to take stay ahead of him. Even if it is dry, there is always the potential for drama as Verstappen tries to pass his rivals. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso also starts ahead of him in third spot.
In truth, it is difficult to know where everyone stands after such a chaotic day. Sprint weekends only allow for one practice session before qualifying takes place, and Friday’s first session was red-flagged when a patch of grass next to Turn 7 caught fire. In qualifying the grass was set ablaze again, this time at Turn 5.
Although both fires were quickly extinguished, the incidents – which governing body the FIA believes were caused by sparks flying off the drivers’ cars – will be a concern.
Anything that helps to ignite the season is welcome though. And Saturday’s sprint race could be interesting.
Unlike last year, the sprint race now takes place on a Saturday morning with a qualifying session for Sunday’s main race taking place in the afternoon. That means that there is no time for teams to fine-tune their setups on Saturday morning before getting under way.
“It [the sprint race] has got the probability of throwing up quite a few variables and, perhaps, some unexpected results,” Red Bull principal Christian Horner conceded. ”I think it’s going to be all action.”
Norris, who briefly lost pole before his final flying lap was reinstated by the stewards, said it had been “all or nothing” for him as the rain lashed down in the final part of qualifying.
“It was wild,” said Norris. “You always know it is going to be in a session like this.
“You only have three laps. The first two I aborted so that last lap was all or nothing. I was nervous because I made a few mistakes, but you have to risk a lot and push and I was quick.”
Verstappen likened it to “driving on ice”, a sensation which was welcomed by Hamilton, who has endured his worst start ever to a season. His Mercedes team mate George Russell was eliminated in 11th in the dry – but when the rain landed, the seven-time world champion looked at home as he secured his spot on the front row.
