‘Sublime’ F1 driver impresses Jenson Button with his display at Qatar Grand Prix

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Jenson Button praised a ‘sublime’ Formula 1 driver after producing another ‘fantastic’ qualifying display to impress the 2009 champion at the Qatar Grand Prix on Saturday.

The Lusail International Circuit is staging the penultimate round of the 2024 season with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to follow next week. McLaren could clinch their first constructors’ title since 1998 at the Qatar GP, with the Woking crew needing to leave 45 points clear of Ferrari.

But after a one-two finish as Lando Norris gifted Oscar Piastri the Qatar Sprint win earlier on Saturday, qualifying fell away from McLaren. The papaya cars locked out row two of the grid, as newly-minted four-time champion Max Verstappen beat George Russell to best the order.

Jenson Button praises George Russell’s Qatar Grand Prix qualifying display

Verstappen posted a 1:20.520 lap in Q3 to claim the Red Bull driver’s first pole position since the Austrian Grand Prix back in June. The Dutchman’s run beat the 1:20.575 that Russell put on the board for the Mercedes star to pip McLaren’s Norris (1:20.772) and Piastri (1:20.829).

But the race stewards would strip Verstappen of pole position hours after qualifying for the 2024 Qatar GP finished with Russell inheriting P1 on the grid. Verstappen drew a one-place grid penalty for impeding the Briton into Turn 12 and forcing Russell to drive into the gravel.

The penalty gifts Russell his fifth career pole position and fourth of the 2024 Formula 1 term as Verstappen lost what was his 63rd and ninth of 2024, on a day he impressed Button. The ex-McLaren racer hailed the 26-year-old having shown great qualifying pace at recent races.

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As well as claiming a front-row start for the Qatar Grand Prix, Russell had qualified P2 for the F1 Sprint. The King’s Lynn native also took pole for the Las Vegas Grand Prix and secured P2 on the grid for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. His other poles were in Montreal and Great Britain.

“I have to say with George, he has been on it the last few races in qualifying,” Button said on Sky Sports F1 (30/11, 19:04). “He’s done such a fantastic job! Sublime!”

George Russell will relish his inherited pole after struggling from P2 in the Qatar Sprint

Russell may have drawn praise from Button for his qualifying display at the Qatar Grand Prix, but the Mercedes racer will want to reap the rewards in the race this Sunday. He was unable to reap the rewards of starting the F1 Sprint in P2 as Piastri passed him in Turn 1 at the start.

The sand that drifts across the track at Lusail makes starting on the clean, racing line hugely beneficial at the start of a race. Russell paid the price for the inferior grip levels on the even-numbered side of the grid in the Sprint as Piastri pulled alongside before turning into Turn 1.

So, Russell will now relish his inherited pole position and hope Verstappen struggles for grip on the dirty side of the grid with the Red Bull racer’s penalty moving him off the racing line. Norris got a great launch from pole in the F1 Sprint and controlled the early laps of the race.