P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix but caught the attention of the F1 stewards for an on-track incident.
Red Bull downplayed the seriousness of the incident between George Russell and Max Verstappen during qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix. The stewards took notice of the near-contact between the two drivers, with Russell having to take evasive action as Verstappen was driving slowly ahead of him. Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, expressed confidence that Verstappen would not face penalties for the incident, which occurred during warm-up laps. Horner explained that the situation occurred while drivers were warming up their tires and jockeying for position. Verstappen’s pole position was at risk pending a meeting with the stewards, but ultimately, he managed to secure the pole, his first since the Austrian Grand Prix in June. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko echoed Horner’s statement, emphasizing that it was a warm-up lap, not a timed lap, and that the incident was not part of a fast lap.
