Max Verstappen only needs three points in Qatar this weekend to seal a third world title, and it seems likely the crown will be confirmed in the sprint race tomorrow. The Red Bull driver was quickest in both the first free practice and in qualifying, earning him his tenth pole position of the season and the opportunity to choose his starting position for Sunday’s main race. The afternoon’s results set the tone for a weekend that promises drama on a revamped Losail circuit.
On a resurfaced track that felt notably slick during the morning, teams faced concerns about grip. Yet practice and qualifying sessions, scheduled to be held under lights due to the heat, proved the new surface could still produce surprising results as temperatures climbed toward the mid thirties. Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso benefited from the conditions to secure a strong run and a fifth place on the grid, underscoring how much the Qatar layout is testing setup choices and tyre management.
Q1: Alonso and Stroll, heads and tails
The Asturian driver, fresh from fourth in Free Practice 1, showed impressive pace on medium tyres and built confidence as the track evolved. Verstappen topped the timing sheets again, clocking 1.25.007 to secure the quickest lap, with Norris and Fernando familiar in pursuit. Red Bull held a two-tenths edge over the field, while Ferrari adopted a cautious approach with Leclerc in sixth and Sainz in ninth. A surprising exit in the first segment came as Lance Stroll found himself eliminated, a sign that Aston Martin’s momentum from practice might not fully translate in racing trim. Others in danger included Sargeant, Lawson, Magnussen, and Zhou, all finding themselves out of the running at this early stage.
Q2: Sainz eliminated
Verstappen again appeared efficient, shaving 2.5 percent off his previous best thanks to a solid run on used softs. Mercedes brought fresh rubber to improve Russell and Hamilton, while Gasly and Alonso added speed to the mix. The McLarens, led by Norris in 1.24.685 and Piastri, looked ready to challenge, yet their pace would still need a final push to break into the top positions as the session wore on.
The Spaniard Sainz began the run in fourteenth place with two minutes remaining and pushed hard to salvage a margin, taking risks in the process. The push did not pay off as Checo Pérez found himself out of contention for the pole after a track-limit infringement was deemed enough to strip his fastest lap. Sainz also faced elimination while Bottas, Tsunoda, Albon, and Hülkenberg failed to challenge for a pole-worthy time. Entering the final segment, Alonso remained the lone driver to have scored in every race so far this season, underscoring his relentless consistency across the year.
Q3: Tenth pole for Max
The lineup for the decisive shootout featured Verstappen, Leclerc, Alonso, Bottas, and the usual suspects from Mercedes, McLaren, and Alpine. The stewards cancelled Norris and Leclerc’s initial attempts, while Verstappen leapt to provisional pole with a 1.23.778, the fastest time of the weekend to that point. Mercedes appeared a step ahead on the first lap, signaling a potential battle for the front row as the field prepared for one last run.
With the final attempt looming, the narrative sharpened into a duel between Mercedes and McLaren against Verstappen. Norris threatened in the second sector but slipped a few tenths behind, failing to improve on his previous effort. In the end, Verstappen held firm, leaving Russell, Piastri, and Hamilton clinging to the top five, while Alonso earned a solid sixth on the day by extracting every ounce of speed from the car. After the session, Norris saw his lap canceled, solidifying Russell in second with Piastri and Hamilton close behind and Fernando Alonso occupying fifth on the grid for the sprint and the main race that follows.” (Source: official timing and race reports.)