F1 Qualifying Results – Qatar Grand Prix 2023 times as Verstappen claims pole in thrilling Q3

Max Verstappen will start on pole for the Qatar Grand Prix after the Red Bull star put in a superb display during qualifying at the Losail International Circuit.

Verstappen put in an unbeaten lap time of 1:23.778s and will be joined on the front row by George Russell.

Oscar Piastri was initially set to start alongside Lewis Hamilton on the second row, but the Australian was stung with a last-minute lap time deletion for exceeding track limits that saw him drop three places to start in P6.

READ MORE: F1 track limits explained: What are they and why are they important?

One of the main shocks came during Q2 when both Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz failed to make it into Q3.

Perez had a lap-time deleted at the end of Q2 as he tumbled down the order as the chequered flag came out.

The Mexican will start in P13 on Sunday, while Sainz finds himself only one place better as he will line up in 12th for lights out.

Barring any late penalties, the grid is now locked in for Sunday's race, with Saturday's sprint events having no impact on the starting order for lights out.

F1 Qualifying Results: Qatar Grand Prix 2023

1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]: 1:23.778s

2. George Russell [Mercedes] + 0.441s

3. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes] +0.527s

4. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin] +0.591s

5. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] +0.646s

6. Oscar Piastri [McLaren] +0.762s

7. Pierre Gasly [Alpine] +0.775s

8. Esteban Ocon [Alpine] +0.985s

9. Valtteri Bottas [Alfa Romeo] +1.280s

10. Lando Norris [McLaren] NO TIME

ELIMINATED IN Q2

11.Yuki Tsunoda [AlphaTauri]

12. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari]

13. Sergio Perez [Red Bull]

14. Alex Albon [Williams]

15. Nico Hulkenberg [Haas]

ELIMINATED IN Q1

16. Logan Sargeant [Williams]

17. Lance Stroll [Aston Martin]

18. Liam Lawson [AlphaTauri]

19. Kevin Magnussen [Haas]

20. Zhou Guanyu [Alfa Romeo]

How does F1 Qualifying work?

The 60-minute qualifying session is split into three finite windows which provides a dramatic prelude to Sunday's big race.

The bottom five drivers are eliminated at the end of Q1, with a further five eliminated after Q2.

Then Q3 gives us a shootout between the remaining 10 drivers in the battle for positions at the front of the grid.

READ MORE: Unstoppable Verstappen is a MAJOR PROBLEM for F1

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