Red Bull's Sergio Perez will have a lot of work to do if he wants to maintain the team's 100 per cent record of one-two finishes in 2024 during the Australian Grand Prix.
The Mexican qualified up in third, but will start down in sixth behind Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and hometown hero Oscar Piastri.
Mercedes, meanwhile, have a mountain to climb in Sunday's race, with George Russell once again beating team-mate Lewis Hamilton, but will still only line up in seventh. Hamilton didn't manage to get out of Q2, and will start 11th.
Yes, Perez has been handed a three-place grid drop for an altercation with Haas driver Hulkenberg.
The Mexican was adjudged to have held up Hulkenberg heading into turn 13, when the German driver was on a hot lap.
When is the 2024 Australian Grand Prix?
Lights out in Melbourne will be at 1500 local time on Sunday March 23. That is 0400 in the UK, 0500 CT or midnight on the east coast of the United States.
If you are watching on the west coast of the United States, the key time is 2100 PT.