Saturday night under the lights at the Lusail International Circuit offered perhaps the most critical qualifying session of the 2024 Formula 1 season. With McLaren inching closer to clinching the 2024 Constructors’ Championship, and both Ferrari and Red Bull hoping to stay alive in that fight, every position on the grid matters.
George Russell threw down the early benchmark early in Q3, putting his W15 on provisional pole by over three-tenths over Charles Leclerc. McLaren’s Lando Norris pulled out of his first push lap after a snap at Turn 4 saw his MCL38 veer off the racing line. He also bailed out of his second attempt at a push lap, after a slow first sector had him trailing the effort from Russell. That left Norris with one shot at snatching pole position.
Norris fell short, but Max Verstappen did not, securing his first pole position since the Austrian Grand Prix back in July, 12 races ago.
Verstappen denied Russell his second-straight pole position, as the Mercedes driver started up front at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. But Russell will start alongside Verstappen on the front row Sunday.
McLaren, who inched closer to clinching the Constructors’ Championship with a one-two finish from Oscar Piastri and Norris in the F1 Sprint Race earlier in the day, locked out the second row with Norris qualifying third, and Piastri fourth.
“Not the position we were hoping for after yesterday and then today, but the maximum we could do for sure,” said Norris trackside to Jolyon Palmer after qualifying.
Still, with the McLaren duo starting ahead of the Ferraris, McLaren is in good shape heading into the main event on Sunday. But Norris admitted that the field is incredibly tight. “Not a lot in it between all of us which gives us hope that we can still go forward, but there are some really quick cars behind at the same time.”
“These have been three really great races for us,” said Russell to Palmer after qualifying. “It’s nice to be in the mix at the front once again.”
But the story was Verstappen, who delivered a stunning turnaround after finishing eighth in the F1 Sprint Race earlier in the evening, where he started sixth.
“Crazy,” said Verstappen when asked about the turnaround by Palmer. “I also didn’t expect that, but well done to the team, to give me a car that feels well connected.
“We did change a bit on the car, but I never thought it would make such a swing in performance,” added Verstappen. “Very happy to be on pole, it’s been a while.”
Verstappen outlined that Sunday’s main event will be “tough” on the teams and drivers.
“It’s gonna be a tough race I think physically, but I think also mainly on the tires. Making sure that you’re good on them, the front left around here gets eaten up quite a lot, so it’s all about managing that tomorrow,” added Verstappen.
Pierre Gasly’s tremendous run of qualifying since the United States Grand Prix ended at the Lusail International Circuit, as the Alpine driver narrowly missed out on advancing to Q3 by just 0.012 and is slated to start the Qatar Grand Prix in P11. The other four drivers eliminated in Q2 were the Sauber pair of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, Yuki Tsunoda, and Lance Stroll.`
Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, Liam Lawson, and the Williams pair of Franco Colapinto and Alexander Albon were the five drivers eliminated in Q1.
Here are the full qualifying results from the Qatar Grand Prix:
