Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has secured pole position for Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix.
With a sprint race also taking place this weekend, the Championship leader is expected to be confirmed as world champion for a third successive season.
Verstappen had already showcased his pace in practice before nonchalantly finishing fastest in qualifying without requiring a second hot lap in Q3.
McLaren's Lando Norris was second fastest, as much as 0.294 seconds adrift, but his lap time was scratched off for exceeding track limits, promoting George Russell in the Mercedes to the front row.
P3 for Piastri... wait, hang on...
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 6, 2023
The Aussie's time has also been deleted 😮#F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/MpwVUAJOwM
Oscar Piastri, in the other McLaren, had been in line to start in third, only to have his own fastest time deleted and allow Lewis Hamilton to move into third and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso fourth.
Ferrari's best effort came from Charles Leclerc, who will start in fifth, with Piastri now sixth ahead of Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon and Valtteri Bottas completing the times, ahead of Norris who did not post a legal effort.
Carlos Sainz Jr and Sergio Perez - who effectively needs to win both the sprint and Grand Prix to extend his highly unrealistic title challenge - will start in 12th and 13th place on the grid.
If Verstappen finishes in the top six of Saturday's sprint, he will be crowned world champion ahead of Sunday's main attraction.
Darren Plant
