Verstappen believes it's time for McLaren's impressive title run to come to an end.

      "It's a bit early to determine if there's an issue."

      Max Verstappen's pursuit of the championship became even more challenging on Friday in Qatar, as the Red Bull driver finished P6 in sprint qualifying, even trailing Yuki Tsunoda for the first time. "Yeah, not good," Verstappen conceded, attributing his lack of speed to understeer and "bouncing." Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies informed Canal Plus that the team was looking into whether an earlier off-track incident caused damage to the floor. "It's a bit early to assess if there's a problem, but we didn’t perform at the level we would have preferred," he stated. "We were quite wide on the first run—very wide, indeed," he chuckled. "Did that damage the floor? That's what we're investigating."

      While Verstappen faced difficulties, it turned into an opportune moment for Oscar Piastri, whose recent form had declined and whose relationship with McLaren is reportedly under significant stress. The Australian secured sprint pole. "He’s lost confidence in the team," noted Auto Motor und Sport journalist Michael Schmidt. "Mark Webber mentioned to me that serious negotiations will take place this winter."

      Championship leader Lando Norris will start third for the sprint, behind Piastri and George Russell, but candidly expressed what that implies. "Overtaking is nearly impossible, so I’ll likely finish third," said the Briton, who holds a 24-point lead over both Verstappen and Piastri with a sprint and two grands prix still to race.

      For his part, Verstappen dismissed the idea that, despite his tough season, he is out of contention with the McLaren drivers. "If I’d been in the McLaren this year, we wouldn’t even be discussing a championship anymore," he told the AP news agency. "They clinched the constructors’ championship so early that – well – you can infer the rest."

      Observers have pointed out how calm Verstappen appears, even with his dwindling chances, and the Dutch driver reiterated that he is not emotionally tied to Formula 1, suggesting he could step away depending on the new 2026 regulations. "My contract lasts until 2028, but it will depend on the new rules in 2026, and if they are enjoyable," he remarked. "If they're not fun, I can't see myself sticking around. Winning seven titles isn’t a priority for me. It could happen, but it’s not something I feel compelled to achieve before I depart. I could easily leave the sport tomorrow."