Verstappen Loses Pole Due to Rare Grid Penalty After Post-Qualifying Review

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen saw his pole position vanish after a post-qualifying investigation at the Qatar Grand Prix revealed that the Dutch driver had impeded his main rival during Q3. Following the investigation, Verstappen, who had been aiming for another dominant race start, was handed a rare one-place grid penalty.

As a result, Mercedes' George Russell will start from pole position on Sunday, marking a significant shift in the starting lineup for the upcoming race.

This marks a notable change for Verstappen, the newly crowned four-time F1 World Champion, who has now gone 12 Grand Prix races without securing a P1 start. Despite this setback, Verstappen’s season remains one of dominance, with the driver leading the championship standings and continuing to display his impressive form on track.

Fans will now look forward to a thrilling race on Sunday, as Russell aims to capitalize on the pole position, and Verstappen seeks to make his way through the grid.