Max Verstappen’s pole position at the Qatar Grand Prix was overturned by the stewards, leaving the Formula 1 world champion frustrated and disappointed. Verstappen had set an impressive lap, securing his first pole since Austria in June. However, after a lengthy investigation into an incident where he blocked Mercedes’ George Russell, the stewards imposed a penalty, demoting Verstappen one grid place and promoting Russell to the pole.
Verstappen’s lap had initially put him ahead of Russell by a narrow margin of just five-hundredths of a second. However, an investigation into the session revealed that Verstappen had driven unnecessarily slowly on his cool-down lap, impeding Russell. While the penalty typically would have been three grid positions, this was not enforced as neither car was on a hot lap at the time. Despite this, Russell was forced to leave the track to avoid Verstappen, compromising his warm-up lap. The stewards ultimately decided that Verstappen’s actions had affected Russell’s ability to perform his lap properly.
Max Verstappen, clearly displeased with the decision, expressed his thoughts before the penalty was announced. He argued that all drivers were slowing down during their cool-down laps, and he did not understand why his actions were being scrutinized more than others. Verstappen also pointed out that the situation seemed unusual, given that both cars were not on competitive laps at the time. This penalty, however, soured what had been an impressive qualifying session for Verstappen and Red Bull, marking an unexpected turn of events after a challenging weekend. His lap was hailed as a “miracle” by Verstappen himself, as Red Bull had struggled to find the right setup during the sprint session earlier in the weekend.
Despite the disappointment, the race weekend also showcased McLaren’s strong performance. With the constructors’ championship still up for grabs, McLaren was closing in on their first title in 26 years. The team had entered the Qatar Grand Prix leading Ferrari by 24 points, a lead which increased to 30 after a dominant showing in the sprint race, where McLaren secured a one-two finish with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Piastri had ceded victory to Norris in Brazil, but in Qatar, Norris allowed Piastri to take the win, acknowledging the teamwork between the two drivers.
McLaren’s strong performance in the sprint race and qualifying placed them in a prime position to challenge Ferrari for the championship. Both Norris and Piastri qualified in third and fourth, respectively, behind Russell and Verstappen. With Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz starting in fifth and seventh, McLaren was well-positioned to capitalize on the opportunity and extend their championship lead. The team needed to outscore Ferrari by 15 points in the Qatar race to ensure a 45-point advantage before the final round in Abu Dhabi, where the title battle would ultimately conclude.
In qualifying, Russell had set the pace early with a 1:20.575 lap, followed closely by Verstappen, who was just a fraction of a second behind. In the final runs, Verstappen managed to find a tiny edge, briefly claiming the top spot with a 1:20.520 lap. However, Russell was confident that he could have gone quicker without the disruption caused by Verstappen’s slow-moving car. The stewards agreed with this assessment, ultimately demoting Verstappen to second place and elevating Russell to pole.
The grid for the race featured a mix of drivers with championship ambitions and those hoping to improve their position. McLaren, having dominated the weekend, was in a strong position, with their drivers in the top four. Ferrari, meanwhile, needed a strong performance from Leclerc and Sainz to keep their hopes of the constructors’ title alive. Lewis Hamilton, starting sixth for Mercedes, was also in contention for a strong result.
Despite the penalty, Verstappen’s performance and the ongoing rivalry between McLaren and Ferrari created a compelling narrative heading into the race. McLaren’s drivers showed exceptional teamwork, while Ferrari’s challenge seemed to be faltering under pressure. With just one race remaining in the season, the stage was set for a thrilling finale, with McLaren needing to maintain their momentum and hold off Ferrari to secure the title.
