Max Verstappen takes unexpected pole position for Qatar Grand Prix
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix, surprising many after starting sixth and finishing eighth in the earlier sprint race. He edged out George Russell by just 0.055 seconds, marking Red Bull's first pole since Austria in July. Lando Norris qualified third, with teammate Oscar Piastri in fourth. McLaren is now 30 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' standings, needing to outscore them by 15 points in the main event to clinch the title. Verstappen expressed surprise at the turnaround in performance, crediting his team for improvements to the car. He noted the significant change from his earlier sprint race performance to qualifying.