Max Verstappen edged George Russell in a thrilling qualifying to claim a surprise pole position for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
The Dutchman, driving for Red Bull Racing, managed to edge out George Russell of Mercedes by a mere 0.055 seconds, marking a significant comeback after a challenging sprint race earlier in the day where he finished in eighth place.
The pole for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix is particularly noteworthy as it is Max Verstappen’s first since the Austrian GP in June, adding to his impressive record as a four-time world champion.
The qualifying session unfolded in three segments: Q1, Q2, and Q3, with each phase designed to progressively eliminate the slower cars and determine the starting grid for the race.
In Q1, the drivers were eager to set competitive times, but it was a tense battle as several drivers fought for a spot in the next round.
Notably, Williams’ Alex Albon narrowly missed advancing finishing 16th, while other drivers like Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg also faced disappointment in 17th and 18th places respectively.
The bottom two positions were claimed by Franco Colapinto and Esteban Ocon, who rounded out the grid in nineteenth and twentieth.
As Q2 commenced, the competition intensified with George Russell quickly establishing himself as a frontrunner by setting an impressive early pace.
However, Max Verstappen demonstrated significant improvement after a lackluster performance in the earlier 2024 Qatar Grand Prix sprint race, as he managed to top the leaderboard with a time that showcased Red Bull’s resurgence in performance.
The session saw Pierre Gasly from Alpine and others like Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas struggle to keep pace, ultimately finishing 11th through 13th.
In the final segment, Q3, all eyes were on Verstappen and Russell as they battled for pole position. Initially, it appeared that the Mercedes man had secured provisional pole with a time of 1:20.575 after his first run.
Lando Norris from McLaren and his teammate Oscar Piastri were also in contention but fell short of Russell’s time during their initial runs.
However, as the clock ticked down Max Verstappen found an extra gear when it mattered most. With just moments remaining in the session, the four-time world champion unleashed a blistering lap of 1:20.520 that not only propelled him to pole Position but also stunned both Russell and Norris.
Verstappen’s comeback was particularly remarkable given that Red Bull had struggled with pace throughout the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix weekend leading up to qualifying. He had expressed concerns over the car’s grip and balance during the sprint race earlier that day.
Yet, thanks to adjustments made by his team between sessions—taking advantage of parc ferme rules being lifted—Verstappen’s car felt significantly more connected during qualifying. He attributed this turnaround to effective changes made by his engineers, stating it allowed him to push harder on track.
Despite his triumph on track, controversy loomed over Max Verstappen’s pole position as Race Control noted that he may have impeded Russell during his cooldown lap after setting his time.
Replays indicated that Russell had been blocked by Verstappen’s slower pace on track, which could lead to further scrutiny ahead of the race.
Lando Norris qualified third with a time of 1:20.772, showcasing McLaren’s competitiveness this season alongside teammate Oscar Piastri who secured fourth place with a time of 1:20.829.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fifth while Lewis Hamilton managed sixth place after struggling to find pace throughout the session. Carlos Sainz from Ferrari put in a solid performance to qualify seventh, followed closely by Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin in eighth place.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen completed the top ten qualifiers.
As teams prepare for the race day ahead of them, Verstappen’s unexpected pole position sets an intriguing stage for what promises to be an exhilarating 2024 Qatar Grand Prix as drivers contend for crucial championship points in the penultimate round of the season.
