Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc Have Racked Up Last 7 Qualifying Poles

After two years of Max Verstappen dominance, 2024 has seen multiple drivers rise to the occasion and fight at the front. Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc are among them, and for the last seven races, only they have managed to headline qualifying sessions ahead of Grand Prix races.

Since the summer break ended and F1 action resumed with the Dutch GP at Zandvoort, there have been seven qualifying sessions. Either Norris or Leclerc has finished P1 in each of them.

Norris has secured five poles with his McLaren MCL38 in this period, while Leclerc has taken two in his Ferrari SF24 (Baku and Spa). With Mexican GP qualifying set for later on Saturday, it will be interesting to see if they can extend their streak. On paper, however, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t.

Norris has arguably had the fastest car on the grid since the Miami GP in May, making his qualifying dominance likely. However, during this seven-race period, Ferrari has typically been no better than the second-fastest, making Leclerc’s poles even more impressive.

Still, given the reputations of both drivers, this particular statistic may not be all that surprising.

What makes Leclerc and Norris so good?

Leclerc has long been considered one of the fastest qualifiers on the grid. On numerous occasions, the Monegasque has delivered standout performances, not only with Ferrari but even with his previous team, Sauber. A prime example was in Brazil in 2018, where he managed to put a backmarker car in the top ten.

Norris had to wait for McLaren to provide him with a car good enough, but since that has happened, he too is showing that he is handy in qualifying.

Bravery and pushing to the limit are essential traits for strong qualifiers, yet gauging the benchmark can be challenging for drivers, as it often shifts with every lap. Norris and Leclerc, however, have demonstrated a remarkable comfort level with their cars, regardless of the corner or section of the track, which sets them apart from many others.

Of course, they aren’t the only drivers in contention for pole in Mexico City this weekend. Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren—all their drivers have a fair shot. Who gets the last laugh remains to be seen.