Max Verstappen claimed pole position at the Qatar Grand Prix, his first since the Austrian GP in June, narrowly beating George Russell by 0.1 seconds. However, Verstappen faces an investigation for allegedly impeding Russell during a preparation lap.

The qualifying session ended with unusual conditions as most drivers struggled to find grip on their final laps. Russell, who held provisional pole after the first Q3 runs, couldn't improve his time due to a slow middle sector.

Verstappen, showing improved form after earlier Sprint race struggles, was among few drivers who enhanced their performance in the final moments. The Dutchman credited his team for providing a more responsive car.

McLaren secured the second row, with Lando Norris qualifying third (+0.252s) and Oscar Piastri fourth (+0.309s), following their Sprint race 1-2 finish.

The top 10 qualifiers:

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. George Russell (Mercedes)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
7. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
9. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
10. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

Notable performances include Sauber's first double-Q2 appearance since the Spanish GP, with Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas qualifying 12th and 13th respectively. Nico Hulkenberg surprisingly exited in Q1 despite his strong Sprint race performance, while Esteban Ocon qualified last, 0.871s behind teammate Pierre Gasly.

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