Max Verstappen will be hoping to battle back and claim victory at the Qatar Grand Prix after being dramatically stripped of pole position. The Dutchman set the quickest lap in qualifying but was later penalised by the stewards for driving too slowly.

It saw him receive a one-place penalty, meaning George Russell will start on pole at the Lusail International Circuit. Explaining their decision to punish Verstappen, the stewards said that he was ‘driving unnecessarily slowly given the circumstances’.

Russell, meanwhile, said before the verdict was announced that he thought Verstappen’s tactics cost him outright pole.

“I had a really scrappy out lap with the near collision with Max and I ended up going through the gravel two corners prior to opening my lap,” he said.

“I hope it didn’t damage the car, but maybe that’s the reason why we didn’t improve, I don’t know. It was a bit of a hairy one, two corners before we start the lap.”

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