F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Max Verstappen stripped of pole position after qualifying with George Russell promoted
Verstappen was stripped of pole, with George Russell promoted, after the FIA announced the world champion had impeded his rival
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Your support makes all the difference.Mercedes driver George Russell has been promoted to pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was penalised one place for impeding his rival, the FIA has announced.
Verstappen started sixth and finished only eighth in the earlier sprint race won by Oscar Piastri as McLaren edged closer to their first constructors’ title in 26 years.
But the Dutch driver returned to form for qualifying for Sunday’s 57-lap main event by seeing off Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.055 seconds to take both his and Red Bull’s first pole since Austria exactly five months ago.
However, at 1:06 local time, more than three hours after qualifying ended, it was confirmed that Verstappen had been penalised one place for impeding Russell as both drivers geared up for their final laps.
Lando Norris, who handed team-mate Piastri victory in the sprint race earlier on Saturday – with McLaren securing a one-two finish to move 30 points clear of Ferrari – remains third, 0.252sec back.
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: George Russell on provisional pole!
Russell sets the timesheet alight, to go fastest by three-tenths to Charles Leclerc - with Lewis Hamilton in third!
4-10: Sainz, Piastri, Magnussen, Perez, Verstappen, Norris, Alonso
Lando Norris opted to dive into the pits on his hot lap after almost losing it at turn 5! He’ll only have one more chance for pole...
6:00 to go in Q1...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Q3 underway!
Time for the top-10 shootout - who will be on pole position in Qatar?!
10 drivers involved: Norris, Piastri, Verstappen, Perez, Sainz, Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Alonso, Magnussen
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Sergio Perez just sneaks through!
Perez is through by 0.012 seconds to Pierre Gasly!
Lewis Hamilton was P5 in the end!
Bottom-five and out in Q2 (11-15): Gasly, Zhou, Bottas, Tsunoda, Stroll
Top-3: Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lewis Hamilton can’t improve
Hamilton stays in ninth after his second lap - will he need to go quicker?
Possibly so.
Current bottom-five (11-15): Bottas, Zhou, Tsunoda, Stroll, Alonso
Top-3: Norris, Verstappen, Russell
3:00 to go in Q2...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Fernando Alonso has a lap deleted
For exceeding track limits, Alonso’s lap is deleted - and he is P15 as a result.
Current bottom-five (11-15): Bottas, Zhou, Tsunoda, Stroll, Alonso
Lewis Hamilton not safe yet in P9, while Pierre Gasly impresses in P6 for Alpine!
7:00 to go in Q2...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Q2 underway!
Time for the second phase of qualifying - 15 minutes where again we will lose the slowest five drivers before the top-10 shootout!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Alex Albon is out in Q1!
Alex Albon knocked out right at the end by Yuki Tsunoda in a breathless end to Q1!
Nico Hulkenberg, who scored points in the sprint earlier, a surprise name in the bottom-five too!
Bottom-five and out in Q1: Albon, Lawson, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Ocon
Top-3: Russell, Leclerc, Sainz
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Alex Albon heading out!
The Williams driver needs a quick lap in the closing stages of Q1 here...
Current bottom-five (16-20): Hulkenberg, Albon, Zhou, Colapinto, Ocon
Top-3: Russell, Sainz, Norris
Sergio Perez living typically precariously in P11..
4:00 to go. Times continue to tumble...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: George Russell quickest early on!
Russell looking to set the tone straight away as he goes quickest by two-tenths to Max Verstappen in second.
Current bottom-five (16-20): Zhou, Lawson, Colapinto, Gasly, Ocon
Plenty of time for the bottom-five to change yet!
10:00 to go in Q1...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Q1 underway
George Russell the first car out on track at the start of Q1 in Lusail!
A reminder: 18 minutes where we will lose the slowest five drivers from the rest of qualifying.
Russell on medium tyres straight away, presumably to wear them in ahead of the race tomorrow.
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