Haas F1 French GP qualifying – good but frustrating day for us

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Lenovo Grand Prix de France
Paul Ricard, Le Castellet
22-24 July 2022
Saturday, July 23rd 2022

Location: Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet
Layout: 5.842-kilometer (3.630-mile), 15-turn circuit
Weather: Sunny
Air Temps: 30.9 degrees Celsius (87.62 degrees Fahrenheit)
Track Temps: 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees Fahrenheit)
Team Result: Kevin Magnussen qualified 10th, Mick Schumacher qualified 19th

Free Practice 3 Rundown:

Magnussen: 16th overall (1:34.031), 23 laps completed
Schumacher: 19th overall (1:34.222), 12 laps completed
Fastest: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing (1:32.272)

Q1 Qualifying: 18-mins with all 20 drivers – Top 15 advance to Q2

Magnussen: 6th overall (1:32.756)
Schumacher: 19th overall (1:33.701)
Fastest: Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari (1:31.727)

Q2 Qualifying: 15-mins – Top 10 advance to Q3

Magnussen: 8th overall (1:32.649)
Fastest: Carlos Sainz of Scuderia Ferrari (1:31.081)

Q3 Qualifying: 12-mins featuring the Top 10

Magnussen: 10th overall (no time set)
Pole Winner: Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari (1:30.872)

Qualifying Recap:

Haas F1 Team drivers Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher qualified 10th and 19th respectively for the French Grand Prix, Round 12 of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Schumacher was unable to get out of Q1 after his second lap and fastest time of the session was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 3. His first timed lap, a 1:33.701 on Pirelli P Zero Red soft tires, classified him P19.

Magnussen, starting tomorrow’s race from the back due to a grid penalty for exceeding PU elements, only drove one lap in the opening session, but a time of 1:32.756 put Magnussen in P6 and comfortably into the next session. Q2 began with Magnussen on the same set of soft rubber as the previous session for his first lap (1:33.111).

Following a quick swap for another new set of the Red compound, Magnussen posted a time of 1:32.649 to put him P8 and through to Q3. With Magnussen taking a grid penalty in tomorrow’s race, he remained in the garage and didn’t set a lap time in the final part of qualifying.

Due to Carlos Sainz (Scuderia Ferrari) also receiving a grid penalty, Schumacher is expected to start the French Grand Prix from P17.

Up front, Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc claimed his seventh pole position of the season ahead of title-rival Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing.

Kevin Magnussen, Driver No. 20, Haas F1 Team

“The pace was really good in the car. The plan was to go out and help Mick with the tow but then he didn’t get through to Q2. We had already planned to go out, so we went out even though there was no point, it was just kind of fun anyway with a fast car. We’re starting last tomorrow but hopefully the car is good again in the race and we can progress.”

Mick Schumacher, Driver No. 47, Haas F1 Team

“It’s a rule, it’s there for everybody and unfortunately I exceeded it, but it’s definitely something that we should talk about. Conditions are quite tough out there, it’s warm, but on the other hand that might bring about opportunities as people might make mistakes.

It’s just a matter of being clean and looking after the tires as much as possible. I think we have the potential to go forwards in the race and that’s what we’re aiming for.”

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

“A good but frustrating day for us today – our speed is there but we’re now in difficult positions. Kevin, with the engine change will start at the back of the grid, and Mick’s time was deleted in Q1 and so he didn’t get out because he was over the track limits.

Anyway, I think the car has got enough speed tomorrow that at least we can move forward, let’s see how far we can get forward, and if it’s forward enough to score some points.”

Next Up:

Sunday July 24 – The 53-lap French Grand Prix starts at 15:00 (CET).

– Stuart Morrisson, photos Haas F1