Verstappen takes first pole since June in Qatar

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen snatched pole position from Mercedes’ George Russell in the final seconds of qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Russell had been fastest after the first runs in the final session but was pipped by 0.055 seconds on Verstappen’s final lap.

McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took third and fourth, after the Australian led a one-two in the sprint race earlier in the day.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fifth from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

Verstappen’s pole was a remarkable turnaround after the Red Bull had finished an uncompetitive eighth in the sprint.

The world champion had complained of no grip or balance in the sprint but the team found a better set-up for the main qualifying session.

The result was Verstappen’s first pole since the Austrian Grand Prix back at the end of June.

Verstappen said: “Crazy. Honestly, I also didn’t expect that. Well done to the team to give me a car that feels a bit more connected and once the car is more together you can push a lot harder.

“We did change a bit on the car but I never thought it would make such a swing in performance, it felt a lot more stable over one lap and that is exactly what we need.”

Russell said: “I’m feeling in such a groove at the moment, the first lap was one of the best I have ever done and for whatever reason couldn’t find any more time on the second run and Max just pipped me.

“These have been three really great races for us. Brazil a bit circumstantial with the wet qualifying but the pace in Vegas and here was true, it’s nice to be in the mix again.”

Russell, who had an incident with Verstappen on his warm-up lap when he was blocked by the Red Bull driver and had to go over a kerb, said he expected a close fight between the top teams in the grand prix on Sunday.

Verstappen has been summoned to the stewards for driving too slowly on the lap in question.

“I was really surprised by (Red Bull’s) turnaround,” Russell said. “I think we’ve got a good race on our hands.

Norris, who dominated the sprint race before handing victory to Piastri on the run to the line, was 0.252secs off pole.

“Not the position we were hoping for after yesterday and today but the maximum we could do,” Norris said. “The lap was pretty good. I was pretty happy with it but just not quick enough compared to the others.

“Not a lot in it between all of us, which gives us hope we can all go forwards. We showed good race pace today. I did get the benefit of being out front and having clean air but I think we still have a good chance,

“I don’t think we are as quick as the Mercedes and Red Bull showed how much they improved since yesterday.”

McLaren can clinch the constructors’ championship in the grand prix with one race still to go, but only if they finish one-two and take the fastest lap. Otherwise, the fight between them and Ferrari will go to the final race in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

Leclerc was 0.332secs off pole and felt he had got the maximum out of the Ferrari.

“Both of my laps were really, really good and there wasn’t much more between them in any of the corners,” he said.

“P5 is not great but we have the McLarens right in front so it could have been worse, but I will need a good start and first laps to try to pass one of them and put pressure on the others.

“We are fast in the long runs but it is difficult to overtake.”

Hamilton was 0.491secs off pole but managed to split the Ferraris, while eighth was an encouraging performance for Alonso after a difficult season for Aston Martin. The veteran two-time champion was just 0.21secs off Sainz’s Ferrari, and 0.174secs quicker than Perez’s Red Bull.

For the Mexican, it was a better result after a dire performance in the sprint, which he started from the pit lane and was caught napping at the lights when he did not go straight away and was passed by Williams’ Franco Colapinto in the pitlane.

But he was still 0.905secs off Verstappen and his future in the team remains in doubt.