Max Verstappen loses pole position for Qatar Grand Prix after qualifying penalty

Max Verstappen will not start from pole position in the Qatar Grand Prix due to a penalty for blocking George Russell during qualifying. The stewards determined Verstappen drove too slowly, forcing Russell to adjust his position to avoid a collision. As a result of the penalty, Russell moves up to pole, while the rest of the grid remains unchanged. Russell expressed excitement for the race, hoping for a competitive event without team orders. The stewards' decision followed a review of evidence, concluding that Verstappen's actions were unnecessary and against race regulations. This incident marks a rare one-position grid drop for Verstappen.