Max Verstappen led the qualifying session for the Qatar Grand Prix, beating George Russell by just 0.055 seconds to claim pole position. This result marks his return to the top spot on a Saturday since the Canadian Grand Prix, after overcoming setbacks during the sprint sessions.
Russell set the best time at the start of the third qualifying segment (Q3) with a record of 1:20.575. However, his attempts to improve were hindered by a loss of pace in the final sectors, allowing Verstappen to capitalize and clock a time of 1:20.520. Despite his solid performance, the Red Bull driver is under investigation for allegedly exceeding the maximum allowed lap time during a reconnaissance lap.
McLaren locks out the second row with Norris and Piastri
Lando Norris secured third place on the grid, followed by his teammate Oscar Piastri, on a day where McLaren showed a slight decline compared to their Friday one-lap performance. Both drivers will start from the second row, reinforcing their competitive presence this season.
Leclerc and Hamilton among the top six
Charles Leclerc qualified fifth, positioning himself ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who placed between the two Ferraris in sixth. Carlos Sainz will start seventh, followed by Fernando Alonso, who recovered ground with a final lap to secure eighth place.
Pérez and Magnussen round out the top ten
Kevin Magnussen seemed set for ninth after posting a competitive time early in Q3 but was relegated to tenth by Sergio Pérez, who beat him by just 0.075 seconds.
Tight eliminations and Zhou’s solid performance
Pierre Gasly missed out on the final phase by just 0.012 seconds, securing 11th place. Zhou Guanyu, benefiting from Sauber's upgrades, took 12th, outperforming his teammate Valtteri Bottas by two-tenths.
Yuki Tsunoda finished 14th, while Lance Stroll failed to progress beyond Q2. Alex Albon was eliminated in Q1 after being edged out by Tsunoda, despite the latter not improving in any of his sectors.
Hulkenberg and Lawson fall short in Q1
Liam Lawson couldn’t escape the drop zone in his final attempt but managed to outqualify Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, who received an apology from his team for their struggles with soft tires.
Franco Colapinto and Esteban Ocon completed the timesheets after underwhelming performances at the Losail circuit.
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:20.520 | - |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:20.575 | +0.055 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:20.772 | +0.252 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:20.829 | +0.309 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:20.852 | +0.332 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:21.011 | +0.491 |
| 7 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:21.041 | +0.521 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Racing | 1:21.251 | +0.731 |
| 9 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull Racing | 1:21.425 | +0.905 |
| 10 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas F1 Team | 1:21.500 | +0.980 |
| 11 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:21.437 | +0.917 |
| 12 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber | 1:21.501 | +0.981 |
| 13 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | 1:21.731 | +1.211 |
| 14 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB | 1:21.771 | +1.251 |
| 15 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Racing | 1:21.911 | +1.391 |
| 16 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:22.390 | +1.870 |
| 17 | Liam Lawson | RB | 1:22.411 | +1.891 |
| 18 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas F1 Team | 1:22.442 | +1.922 |
| 19 | Franco Colapinto | Williams | 1:22.594 | +2.074 |
| 20 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:22.714 | +2.194 |
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