LOSAIL (QATAR) (ITALPRESS) – Twist in Losail: in the end it will be George Russell who will start from the pole position of the Qatar Grand Prix. Among the curves of the Asian track, the speed of Max Verstappen had once again emerged, who at the end of qualifying won the pole position he had been missing since the Austrian Grand Prix. Stopwatch stopped at 1’20″520, with the best performance scored by the Dutch driver at the end of a last attempt in which he had managed to tick it off at the expense of the many drivers vying for the pole, in an extremely hard-fought qualifying. Second and only 55 thousandths behind was George Russell, who, however, was thwarted by Verstappen in Q3: a grid position penalty to the newly 4-time world champion and a front row that changes only in order, with the Mercedes driver starting ahead of everyone and Verstappen on the second box. Opening the third row is the McLaren of Lando Norris, third in 1’20″772. Nothing to do instead for the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who close in fifth and seventh respectively, being anticipated – in addition to the aforementioned Norris – by the McLaren of Oscar Piastri, fourth and by 23 thousandths ahead of the Monegasque, with Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes getting in between the two Ferraris instead, in sixth position on the grid. Finally, Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, which finishes eighth, followed by Sergio Perez’s other Red Bull and Kevin Magnussen’s Haas to round out the top ten.
– photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
Verstappen penalized and Russell on pole in Qatar
