Max Verstappen claims pole for Qatar Grand Prix

SPORTSAREENA.comOctober 24, 2023

16 3 minutes read

Runaway Formula One chief Max Verstappen dominated an intriguing floodlit qualifying session on Friday to claim pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix, which he may begin as a triple world champion.

WATCH | Gauteng driver avoids e-toll with quantity plate trick

It was the 26-year-old Dutchman’s tenth pole place of a commanding season for Red Bull.

He wound up four-tenths of a second forward of nearest rival George Russell, whose Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton slipped from second to fourth, after which rose to 3rd when the 2 McLarens had laps scrubbed out in a complicated closing flurry.

Lando Norris of McLaren was second when he crossed the road earlier than his greatest late lap was deleted for exceeding monitor limits. His team-mate Oscar Piastri positioned third earlier than dropping his lap too. He fell to sixth. Norris dropped to tenth.

MUST READ | SA bakkie gross sales: Top 10 best-selling bakkies in September 2023

Verstappen can clinch his third consecutive title earlier than Sunday’s race by ending sixth or higher in Saturday’s dash race.

He mentioned he was glad along with his efficiency in tough situations with a gusty wind blowing sand and dirt throughout the newly re-surfaced asphalt of the Lusail International Circuit.

“It’s a great start to the weekend,” mentioned Verstappen, who celebrated his birthday final weekend. “I’m happy to be on pole and it has been a good day for us.”

‘Working so well’

“Of course, I wish to win this race no matter occurs tomorrow. We have gotten pole and I wish to win it (Sunday’s Grand Prix), however first let’s be fast and do the job tomorrow.

“It will be difficult for the tyres with all this sand on the track, but our car is working so well.”

It was the thirtieth pole place general in Verstappen’s profession.

After a lot post-session complicated, Hamilton was declared third for Mercedes forward of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Embattled French team-mates Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon of Alpine had been seventh and eighth forward of Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo and Norris.

DIARISE | Formula One 2023: What time is the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, 8 October?

The qualifying session, for Sunday’s race, started with an air temperature of 32 levels Celsius and a monitor temperature of 35, below the Losail lights.

Verstappen’s opening lap was swiftly overwhelmed by Alonso earlier than Leclerc took the initiative as a number of drivers fell foul of the strict monitor limits guidelines within the troublesome situations.

Leclerc and Alonso swapped quickest laps earlier than Norris after which Verstappen set the tempo.

The first qualifying session ended with Logan Sargeant of Williams lacking the minimize together with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Liam Lawson of Alpha Tauri, Kevin Magnussen of Haas and Zhou Guanyu of Alfa Romeo.

Stroll, son of crew proprietor Lawrence Stroll, was filmed pushing his private coach after climbing from his automobile and, in a match of pique gave solely transient and impolite responses to broadcasters.

MUST READ | Cost of dwelling disaster: LITRE OF PETROL larger than SA hourly minimal wage

A busy second session wound up with Hamilton quickest forward of Verstappen whereas Yuki Tsunoda of Alpha Tauri missed the minimize in eleventh forward of Sainz, Perez, Alex Albon of Williams and Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg.

Hamilton had taken pole in qualifying on the inaugural Qatar occasion in 2021 and secured his profession report 104th pole on the Hungarian occasion in July, reminiscences to buoy him as his former team-mate Valtteri Bottas led the sphere into Q3.

Verstappen responded, clocking 1 minute 23.778 seconds, the very best lap of the day, a full half-second forward of Hamilton. After a season of 13 wins in 16 races, the champion had restored his complete dominance.

SCARY STATS | South Africa’s most congested cities RANKED

In the title race, Hamilton is barely 33 factors behind the struggling Perez and with six races to go retains probability of ending runner-up.

Verstappen selected to avoid wasting tyres and never make a second flying run.

Norris went first with out success earlier than Russell and Piastri moved forward of Hamilton who fell to fourth and, like Verstappen, aborted his effort in a livid finale that noticed each males sliding off the racing line.

ALSO READ | 5 NEW CARS heading to South Africa it is best to learn about