Verstappen loses Qatar GP pole with one-place grid drop in ‘complicated’ penalty

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has been hit with a one-place grid penalty, stripping him of pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix, for driving too slowly. 

Feature image credit: Red Bull Content Pool

Verstappen had qualified in pole position for the Qatar GP, his first since Austria back in June, but the Dutchman has now been stripped of this position after being given a one-place grid penalty for driving too slowly. 

In turn, this penalty now promotes Mercedes’ George Russell into pole position having originally qualified second and demotes Verstappen into Russell’s position. 

After qualifying, Verstappen and Russell were summoned to the stewards – in addition to their team representatives – where they reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry, team radio and in-car evidence. 

The stewards deemed the case between Verstappen and Russell as a ‘complicated one’ as they determined the now four-time world champion did not following the Race Directors instructors and was driving too slowly. 

With Max Verstappen’s one-place penalty, George Russell will now start on pole for the Qatar Grand Prix 🇶🇦⏱️ pic.twitter.com/Wgd7ob2maJ

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 30, 2024

In the report the Stewards said: 

“Car 1 was on a different preparation strategy to that of Car 63.  Car 1 was well outside of the delta and the driver of Car 1 explained he had let Cars 4 and 14 past.

“The driver of Car 63 claimed that he had adhered to the delta and did not expect Car 1 to be on the racing line. He stated that if a car was going slow in a high speed corner, it should not be on the racing line.

“It was obvious the driver of Car 1 was attempting to cool his tyres. He also could see Car 63 approaching as he looked in his mirror multiple times whilst on the small straight between Turns 11 and 12.”

The stewards deemed that neither car were on push laps where they would’ve punished Verstappen with a three-place grid penalty – as previously used in the past. 

However, this mitigating factor prompted the stewards to issue Verstappen a one-place grid drop as Russell also had ‘clear visibility’ of the newly re-crowned world champion.  

This means the top three ahead of the third edition of the Qatar GP will be; Russell, Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris, in first, second and third respectively.

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Verstappen takes first pole since Austria at Qatar GP pipping Russell by 0.055s
• Piastri wins sprint race as Norris allows pass in Qatar GP F1 Sprint
• Norris storms to final sprint quali pole in 2024 at Qatar GP
• Mick Schumacher confirmed to leave Mercedes at end of 2024 F1 season
• Italian GP set to remain in F1 until 2031 following six-year extension
• Pirelli and FIA aiming to prevent repeat last year’s F1 Qatar GP

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.