RACE START REPLAY: Verstappen up to P4 as Hamilton keeps the lead on Lap 1 in Qatar
There was drama just over an hour before the start of the Qatar Grand Prix when Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas were both handed grid penalties for ignoring yellow flags in qualifying.
Verstappen saw his P2 grid slot become P7, while Bottas dropped from third to sixth – with Lewis Hamilton starting on pole.
But when the lights went out to start the race at the Losail International Circuit, Verstappen got a great start to get back up to P4 on the opening lap, as Hamilton held his lead at the front – while Bottas had a dreadful start, dropping a further five places to P11.
See how the opening lap unfolded in the video above, and follow all the action from the race in our live blog here.
Next Up
Related Articles
UnlockedQUIZ: 10 questions on the new World Champion Lando Norris
Honda reveal details around power unit launch
JacquesHow did the rookies do in their first F1 season?
F1 AcademyHaas name Countryman as 2026 F1 ACADEMY driver
Audi announce team name and global launch date for 2026 challenger
Beyond The GridThe best of 2025, from Norris’ evolution to Brad Pitt’s ‘need for speed’