LIVE from the Qatar F1 GP, Ferrari must chase McLaren to keep the championship open: follow our live commentary of the race. Saturday’s qualifying gives pole position to a surprising Max Verstappen: Red Bull solves Friday’s issues and beats George Russell’s Mercedes. Right behind, the challenge between Maranello and Woking heats up.
Qatar’s qualifying has provided the first verdicts for the race. Max Verstappen will start from pole position, the star of the timed session, not without surprises. Red Bull seemed to be in trouble after the Sprint Race, but a decisive setup change appears to have corrected every flaw of the RB20. The Dutchman’s time is authoritative, making him a strong contender for victory in the race.
George Russell once again has to settle for second place. The Englishman is faster than the McLarens, but beating Lando Norris isn’t enough to start from the front row. Mercedes continues its strong form, preparing for a race that promises to be wide open. However, on Sunday, the Englishman will have to watch out for the aggressive McLaren and Ferrari teams.
The two title contenders themselves struggled during qualifying. The others’ rise meant that the SF-24 and MCL38 lost valuable positions. Overtaking will not be easy, given the Qatari circuit’s tendency to create DRS trains. The Sprint Race strategy, in fact, seemed to focus entirely on keeping rivals at bay.
