Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has been stripped of pole position for impeding Mercedes driver George Russell in qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix. The decision reverses their positions, with Russell now promoted to pole, while Verstappen drops to second place.
Russell Takes Pole at Qatar After Verstappen’s Penalty
Verstappen had initially beaten Russell by 0.055 seconds but was penalized for driving too slowly and causing an obstruction. The two cars collided at Turn 12, forcing Russell off the track and onto the gravel. The stewards found Verstappen guilty of driving unnecessarily slowly, as he was “well outside” the target time required when not on a flying lap.
Despite the penalty, the stewards noted mitigating circumstances, as neither driver was on a push lap. However, they sided with Russell, arguing Verstappen should not have been on the racing line while driving slowly. The ruling highlighted Verstappen’s awareness of Russell’s proximity, having checked his mirrors multiple times.
Verstappen’s Grid Penalty Explained
Russell had been on provisional pole after his initial runs in the final session. However, after the incident with Verstappen, his tyres were compromised, and he couldn’t improve on his second lap. “I expected to improve, but the collision with Max disrupted my out-lap and affected my car’s balance,” Russell said.
McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured third and fourth positions, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fifth. Verstappen’s strong qualifying performance was a turnaround from his disappointing eighth-place finish in the sprint earlier that day. He praised his team for the setup improvements that made his car more competitive.
External Link: BBC News.
Internal Link: Eurasia Sports.
