The starting grid for the Qatar Grand Prix has been confirmed, with four drivers set to begin from the pit lane after post-qualifying tweaks breached parc ferme rules.
Lewis Hamilton, now at Ferrari, joins Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, Williams’ Carlos Sainz, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in dropping to the back. All four teams made suspension adjustments overnight, triggering the penalty from stewards.
Pole-sitter Lando Norris leads the pack in his McLaren, flanked by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on the front row. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc slots into third, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell in fourth.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri starts fifth, with Red Bull’s Liam Lawson in sixth. RB’s Yuki Tsunoda takes seventh, followed by Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg in eighth.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly lines up ninth, with RB’s Isack Hadjar completing the top 10.
Further back, Haas’ Oliver Bearman is 11th, ahead of Williams’ Franco Colapinto in 12th. Alpine’s Jack Doohan starts 13th, with Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas in 14th.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll is 15th, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto 16th, and Cadillac’s Zhou Guanyu rounds out the grid in 17th before the pit-lane starters.
The changes could shake up strategies in this penultimate round of the 2025 season, where Verstappen holds a slim lead over Norris in the drivers’ standings. Teams like Mercedes and Ferrari, chasing constructors’ points, face added pressure to recover positions on Lusail’s high-speed layout.
