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The F1 2021 season saw drivers perform to their extremes, with a fair share of breakthrough performances as well. Saturday's qualifying session, however, remains one of the more interesting aspects and a true measure of the driver's abilities.
This season, we've seen multiple drivers punch above their car's inherent pace and qualify much higher than expected. In this piece, we look at the top 5 qualifying laps of the F1 2021 season.
Top 5 qualifying performances of the F1 2021 season
#5 Lando Norris, P3 at Austrian Grand Prix
Lando Norris was the breakout star of the 2021 F1 season. His performances might have gone under the radar because of the battle at the front of the grid. That, however, was not the case at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Let's lay down the facts to understand what Lando Norris was able to do in Austria. The McLaren driver was within a tenth of Max Verstappen, who was on pole. Norris was also quicker than Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull and the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
He did all of that in a McLaren that had not shown such pace throughout the weekend. His performance showed the F1 grid the kind of drive Norris is capable of with the right car underneath him.
#4 Lewis Hamilton, pole at British Grand Prix (Friday Qualifying)
Lewis Hamilton had to win at Silverstone if he needed to stay in the F1 title fight. He surprised everyone when the Mercedes driver pulled off a sensational lap at Silverstone, in conditions that appeared to favor Red Bull.
Hamilton then went on to find the sweet spot on his second lap of Q3, pulling out a gap of about half a second to Verstappen. Although he did not officially get pole for this lap, the Briton produced something special under immense pressure at Silverstone.
Top 5 qualifying performances of the F1 2021 season (cont.)
#3 Max Verstappen, Pole at Belgian Grand Prix
It might seem a bit unfair to put the pole position lap behind the lap that was P2, but the fact that George Russell did that in a Williams F1 car gives him the nod. That, however, doesn't take away Max Verstappen's driving prowess in clinching pole at Spa in treacherous conditions.
Throughout the sessions, the Red Bull driver trailed Mercedes and seemed less confident than Hamilton in his Mercedes. On his last lap of Q3, however, Max flipped the script entirely and left the Mercedes behind.
#2 George Russell, P2 at Belgian Grand Prix
George Russell had quite a few stunning drives throughout the F1 2021 season. His weekend in Belgium, however, made everyone stop what they were doing and focus on this young driver.
On a drenched track with conditions that could be described as marginal at best, Russell slotted his Williams into P2. In the process, he beat seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to the grid. The Belgian GP weekend bore enough evidence of Russell's ability in an F1 car to disprove his critics.
#1 Max Verstappen, Pole at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Max Verstappen went into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix equal on points with seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton. On a track where Hamilton was faster throughout the weekend, coupled with the pressure of the last race of the season, Verstappen would be forgiven if he were to qualify behind his rival.
The young Red Bull driver, however, pulled off a sensational lap to not only beat Hamilton to the pole but do so by more than half a second. Even with its controversies, the subsequent race would not diminish the Dutchman's blazing lap.
