Hamilton Praises Verstappen Ahead Of Third World Title Win
Max Verstappen took pole position for Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix as the indomitable Dutchman closes in on his third world title.
Verstappen will be crowned champion of the world if he finishes at least sixth in Saturday’s 19-lap race at the Lusail International Circuit. And the Red Bull driver started his quest to become just the 11th driver in history to win the title on more than two occasions in typically irresistible fashion by clocking the fastest time in qualifying.
In terms of the championship mathematics, Verstappen’s pole lap for Sunday’s main event will be redundant if he secures three points in Saturday’s sprint – the starting order for which will be determined by a second qualifying session here on Saturday afternoon – or Sergio Perez fails finish inside the top three. The probability of both are high.
As Verstappen raced to top spot, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton securing second and third on the grid for Mercedes, Perez failed to make it out of Q2.
Follow live updates from the Qatar Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 QATAR GRAND PRIX – SPRINT
Max Verstappen had his lap time deleted!
Max Verstappen looked to have gone top of the leaderboard with a storming lap, but he’s gone beyond the white line at turn 5!
So, it’s Carlos Sainz first right now! Most of the field now leaving the pit lane, just waiting for the optimum track conditions.
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 15:01
SQ3 underway!
Who will be on pole for the sprint race later?
A quickfire eight minutes now for SQ3, with all the 10 drivers going to softs.
10 drivers involved: Verstappen, Perez, Leclerc, Sainz, Norris, Russell, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Ocon
First out of the pit lane? Max Verstappen.
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 14:59
Lewis Hamilton is out in SQ2!
Nightmare for the seven-time world champion! Track limits deletes his final lap and he’s only 12th fastest!
That’ll make for a tough evening tonight for Lewis Hamilton.
Bottom-five and out in SQ2 (11-15): Gasly, Hamilton, Bottas, Lawson, Zhou
Top-3: Norris, Russell, Perez
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 14:52
Lewis Hamilton goes top but then….
Has a lap time deleted! Charles Leclerc also goes off the track and has his time deleted.
The problems of yesterday continue for a lot of the pack.
Current bottom-five (11-15): Alonso Ocon, Leclerc, Zhou, Bottas
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 14:46
SQ2 underway!
10 minutes now to find out who will be in the top-10 shootout?
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 14:43
Lance Stroll out in Q1 again!
Hope nobody interviews Lance Stroll after qualifying again!
The Aston Martin only P16 for the sprint race later tonight!
Bottom-five and out in SQ1 (16-20): Stroll, Albon, Tsunoda, Magnussen, Sargeant
George Russell, interestingly, fastest – by a tenth of a second.
Yuki Tsunoda fuming over team radio…
(Getty Images)
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 14:36
Lewis Hamilton only 11th fastest
The Mercedes man was quicker than P11 but had a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits a turn 12.
Final minute now, as they all line up for their final flying laps!
Current bottom-five (16-20): Stroll, Magnussen, Lawson, Zhou, Saregant
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 14:32
Max Verstappen quickest in SQ1 so far
It’s so quickfire that times are changing all the time… not least due to lap times being deleted!
Plenty of drivers falling foul of the white lines, with Max Verstappen top at the moment – a tenth clear of Lando Norris in second.
But, more importantly, current bottom-five (16-20): Magnussen, Lawson, Stroll, Sargeant, Zhou
Charles Leclerc flirting with danger in P15.
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 14:30
SQ1 underway!
So we’re underway – on a very hot and humid day in Qatar – with the first sprint qualifying session at Lusail!
A reminder: 12 minutes where we will lose the five slowest drivers. And everyone is on medium compound tyres!
It’s mediums for SQ1 and SQ2, with softs for SQ3. No more hard tyres for SQ1 like earlier in the season.
(Getty Images)
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 14:25
F1 sprint at the Qatar Grand Prix!
The cars have just had a 10-minute session around the track – no timings – in order to get used to the track modifications at turns 12 and 13.
And now it’s time for the sprint shootout!
Kieran Jackson7 October 2023 14:17
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