Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing secured pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix, overtaking Mercedes driver George Russell in the final moments of qualifying. Russell had initially led the session but finished just 0.055 seconds behind Verstappen. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri completed the top four, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton followed. Despite an uncompetitive sprint, Verstappen’s performance turnaround was notable, and the race is expected to be highly competitive between the top teams.