Many did not expect it, but we would have bet that Max Verstappen would take the pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix. And so it was, the Dutch world champion will start from the front tomorrow!
After the first timed laps of Q1, the order was George Russell, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, but the story seemed to have many possibilities. For example, Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso were also in the mix for third place... In the end, the session concluded with Russell and the two Ferraris in the top 3, while the eliminated included the two Williams, Liam Lawson, Nico Hülkenberg, and Esteban Ocon.
In Q2, Max Verstappen opened at the front, with Oscar Piastri and George Russell dictating the pace behind him, and it was evident that Red Bull Racing was getting better and better. However, McLaren also made similar progress, with Norris specifically, who took the lead after his last Q2 attempt, but Verstappen managed to find something extra and finished ahead of Norris and Leclerc. The two Alfas, on the other hand, were sent to shower along with Pierre Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda, and Lance Stroll.
After the first shots of Q3, Russell was in the lead against the revived rival Red Bull, but in the end, the Dutchman absorbed the pressure so well and everything came together for him that he easily secured the pole position ahead of George Russell and Lando Norris. An exciting race is therefore in store for tomorrow, as the already crowned world champion Max Verstappen will start from the first grid position, while McLaren, fighting for the constructors' title, awaits the Qatar Grand Prix from a better position behind him.
