Qatar GP: Verstappen Demoted, Russell on Pole

Qatar Grand Prix saw stewards penalize Max Verstappen for impeding George Russell during qualifying, causing Verstappen to lose pole position. The ruling promoted Russell to pole and demoted Verstappen to second. Verstappen drove slowly at Turn 12 to cool his tires which forced Russell onto the gravel. Stewards determined that Verstappen failed to comply with race director notes and unnecessarily impeded Russell although they considered mitigating circumstances when reducing his penalty.

Russell, who had initially led qualifying was edged out by Verstappen by just 0.055 seconds on the final lap. However, Russell argued that the incident disrupted his tire preparation for his last lap preventing him from improving. He described his compromised out lap and lack of optimal tire performance as a “shame,” believing the car had more potential. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri qualified third and fourth, following a strong sprint performance led by Piastri.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured fifth, ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who delivered a solid eighth-place finish amid a challenging season. Despite losing pole, Verstappen recovered after a poor eighth-place sprint result. He praised his team for making adjustments that dramatically improved the car’s grip and balance describing the turnaround as “crazy.”

At the Qatar GP, Russell acknowledged Red Bull’s unexpected improvement, predicting a competitive race. Norris third in qualifying expressed optimism despite McLaren’s pace lagging behind Mercedes and Red Bull. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez’s disappointing performance in both the sprint and qualifying left him over 0.9 seconds behind Verstappen, raising doubts about his future at Red Bull. McLaren’s slim constructors’ championship hopes hinge on a one-two finish and the fastest lap in the Grand Prix, adding further intrigue to Sunday’s race.