Oscar Piastri delivered a crucial performance in qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race, securing pole position and strengthening his bid for the Formula 1 drivers’ championship. The McLaren driver edged out George Russell of Mercedes, who will start second, while Piastri’s teammate and title leader, Lando Norris, qualified third. The result provides Piastri a prime opportunity to reduce Norris’s advantage in the standings.
The session saw reigning champion Max Verstappen struggle significantly, qualifying a frustrated sixth. Verstappen reported persistent issues with his Red Bull, citing a lack of stability and troublesome bouncing through Lusail Circuit’s high-speed corners—problems that also hampered his earlier practice running.
In the decisive final phase of qualifying, Piastri set the benchmark with a lap of 1:20.241 on his initial attempt. As the track conditions improved, he ultimately clinched pole with an even quicker time of 1:20.055. Russell’s late effort slotted him between the two McLarens, as Norris lost time on his final push after running wide.
With Norris holding a 24-point lead over Piastri and Verstappen, and 58 points remaining this weekend, the championship cannot be decided in Saturday’s sprint. However, the race will be pivotal in building momentum for Sunday’s Grand Prix, potentially determining whether Norris can secure the title in Qatar or if the fight will extend to the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton’s difficult season continued, with the Ferrari driver eliminated in the first qualifying segment and set to start 18th. “The car won’t go any quicker,” Hamilton stated, encapsulating a challenging maiden year with the Italian team.
The sprint race itself will feature a mandatory two-stop strategy for all drivers. This directive follows a tire usage limit imposed for safety, restricting stints to 25 laps due to the extreme lateral forces and wear at the Lusail Circuit.