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The 2023 F1 British GP qualifying had such a feel-good factor as Lando Norris almost beat Max Verstappen to secure McLaren a pole position.
Unfortunately, that was not to be, but a P2 and P3 result surely warmed the hearts of F1 fans for the affable McLaren driver.
Having said that, with the grid for the 2023 F1 British GP now set and the adrenaline passed, who would be looking back at the qualifying session with satisfaction, and who would be a bit disgruntled?
Let's take a look.
2023 F1 British GP Qualifying
Winner
McLaren
The cracking of Lando Norris' voice is the pent-up emotion of the entire year. The driver was served with a horrible car at the start of the season that struggled to even score points.
Norris has toiled hard in that car all season, and you could see there was a certain level of disgruntlement in his voice that was starting to creep in.
There were even questions asked of McLaren on how it could keep a talent like Norris in the team. Lo and behold! the 75 percent upgraded car has taken the entire F1 grid by storm.
McLaren deserves all the credit it gets to be the best Mercedes-powered car at the 2023 F1 British GP qualifying.
Who knows what happens on Sunday, but it's hard to deny that the papaya-branded team has put together a very impressive comeback this season.
Loser
Sergio Perez
Gone are the days when pundits touted Sergio Perez as a title contender. We are now looking at a driver who needs to get his act together in qualifying. Red Bull chief Helmut Marko revealed that replacing Sergio would have been on the team's agenda if a viable replacement was available.
One could argue that the driver Perez replaced might just be the perfect replacement if we consider what he's doing in a William.
The 2023 F1 British GP will be another in a long list of weekends where Max Verstappen secured pole position but did not have his teammate even in the top 15.
Winner
Max Verstappen
"Max just ruins everything," was what Lando Norris quipped as Verstappen stood next to him and chuckled.
In the romanticism of Norris almost securing a pole position for the 2023 F1 British GP and McLaren's renaissance, we almost forget the inevitability of Max Verstappen at the top of the standings.
It was another case of a session where things were not straightforward, and if Verstappen had a misstep, it would be understandable.
Yet he didn't. Verstappen is the runaway favorite for winning the 2023 F1 British GP, and it would take a brave(or a foolish) man to bet against him.
Loser
Aston Martin
The last two races should get the alarm bells ringing for Aston Martin because something's just not right with the team.
The kind of linear progress that was expected has not happened, and it does appear that the competition has taken a bigger step to leapfrog the Fernando Alonso-led outfit.
Alonso too would be a bit unhappy with his final lap, but to be fair, it's not about the final lap, Aston Martin has not looked at its old formidable self, and the qualifying in the 2023 F1 British GP should raise questions.
Winner
Alex Albon
There was a rumor floating around at the start of the 2023 F1 British GP weekend that Alex Albon was rumored to replace Carlos Sainz at Ferrari when the Spaniard's contract expires.
The rumor seems a bit premature, considering the fact that Sainz's contract runs until the end of the 2024 F1 season.
Regardless, what the rumor did, however, reveal was the kind of stock that Albon's name carries these days. His Q3 appearance is only going to strengthen it, and so will his complete demolition of Logan Sargeant.
Loser
Alpine
There was a time when Alpine was the team knocking on the doors of joining the top four teams on the grid.
Since the podium in Monaco, however, there's been a considerable drop-off, and it has been evident to see how much teams like McLaren and even Williams, on occasion, are able to do a better job.
Laurent Rossi mellowed a bit when Esteban Ocon secured a podium in Monaco, he might need another outburst to kick the team back in shape.
