FACTS AND STATS: A McLaren one-two in Qatar would seal the constructors' crown with Norris and Piastri qualifying on the second row

Max Verstappen grabbed a sensational pole position in Qatar, after struggling over one lap in Sprint Qualifying the day before. Red Bull really turned things around, getting both cars into the top 10 and managing to get the better of McLaren, who looked the class of the field earlier on in the Sprint. Here are all the best facts and stats from a thrilling qualifying…

• Verstappen bagged his first pole since Austria, 12 races ago as he grabbed P1 here for the second year in a row.

• The Dutchman qualified sixth for the Sprint, but turned that into P1 for the Grand Prix. The last time he was quickest in Q3 was at Spa, when he lost pole due to having a 10-place grid penalty.

READ MORE: Verstappen beats Russell to surprise pole position in Qatar by just 0.055s

• George Russell missed out on Sprint pole by 0.063s, and pole tonight by 0.055s. But he did manage his third front row start, the best run of his career.

• Russell has previously shared the front row with Verstappen in Canada, after the duo set identical Q3 times.

• Lando Norris has out-qualified his team mate 19 times in 23 Grands Prix this year, but Oscar Piastri’s fourth is his highest start since he won from second on the grid in Baku, six races ago.

• A McLaren one-two tomorrow will clinch the constructors’ championship for the papaya team.

• Charles Leclerc qualified fifth – the same as he managed for the Sprint.

• Lewis Hamilton was sixth, and he hasn’t started in the top five for the last five races. He’s been out-qualified 18-5 by Russell so far this year.

• Carlos Sainz was seventh, meaning Ferrari have both cars starting in the top 10 for the first time at this track.

• Fernando Alonso bagged his best start since Austin with eighth.

• Sergio Perez ended a three-race streak without a Q3 appearance, and ninth is his best-ever start at this circuit.

• Kevin Magnussen was P10, bagging his third Q3 appearance of the season, all of which have come in his last four races.

READ MORE: ‘I don’t have an answer’ – Hamilton reflects on his ‘not fast anymore’ comments as issues continue in Qatar Sprint

• Pierre Gasly was 11th, having qualified third last weekend and reached SQ3 yesterday.

• Zhou Guanyu enjoyed a season’s best qualifying result of 12th, as he out-qualified Valtteri Bottas for the second straight race having only beaten him once in the first 21 races this year.

• Bottas qualified P13 as Kick Sauber continue their record of going well here – this is the last venue they scored points at, when Bottas finished eighth and Zhou ninth last year.

• Yuki Tsunoda recorded his worst qualifying since Monza, seven races ago with P14.

• Lance Stroll was 15th, having never reached Q3 in the three times F1 has raced here.

HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action from the Qatar Sprint as Norris relinquishes win to Piastri

• Alex Albon suffered his second straight Q1 elimination, as Liam Lawson suffered his first this year.

• Nico Hulkenberg was 18th, despite reaching SQ3 yesterday and scoring in the Sprint.

• Franco Colapinto was knocked out in Q1 for the fourth time in the last five races.

• Esteban Ocon qualified last, the fifth time this season that Alpine have had the slowest car.