Oscar Piastri secured pole position for the Sprint at the Qatar Grand Prix after setting a time of 1:20.055 in qualifying, just 32 thousandths of a second faster than George Russell in an extremely tight session at the Lusail International Circuit.
Lando Norris will start from third position with a 24-point lead over Piastri and Max Verstappen in the world championship. Norris needs to score just eight points in the 19-lap Sprint to virtually guarantee his first world title, which he could achieve with a win or even a second-place finish.
Photo By Mclaren
Piastri Regains Speed at Important Moment
Piastri had shown competitive pace since free practice and confirmed it in SQ3. His second fast lap was enough to beat Russell's late attempt, who had provisionally taken pole with an impressive first lap.
For McLaren, the pole comes at the perfect time. The team hasn't won a drivers' championship since Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and now has both cars fighting for the world title.
Norris qualified third after a mistake in the final corner during his second attempt. He went slightly off track when trying to improve his time, but his first lap was enough to keep him in a favorable position to score points.
Verstappen to Start Sixth Due to Red Bull Problems
Max Verstappen will start from sixth position after suffering severe bouncing problems in his Red Bull throughout the session. He even finished behind his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who will start fifth.
Verstappen's technical problems come at the worst possible time: he needs to win both the Sprint and the main race, and hope that Norris doesn't score, to maintain mathematical chances in the championship. Starting from sixth position significantly complicates those plans.
Photo By Mclaren
Hamilton to Start from the Back After Another Elimination
Lewis Hamilton will start 18th in the Sprint after being eliminated in SQ1 for the second consecutive time. His time was far from Piastri's pole, showing that the adaptation problems with Ferrari persist.
Hamilton completed only eight laps before being eliminated, showing that Ferrari hasn't found the right setup for the seven-time champion.
Fernando Alonso Fourth
Fernando Alonso achieved the fourth best time with his Aston Martin, taking advantage of the favorable aerodynamic characteristics of his car at Lusail. His performance differs notably from that of Lance Stroll, who was eliminated in SQ1.
Williams surprised by qualifying both cars for SQ3. Carlos Sainz finished eighth and Alexander Albon tenth, performing better than expected at a track they considered problematic for their aerodynamic package.
The 19-lap Sprint will take place this Saturday with Piastri looking for his first win of the season from pole. Norris will have the opportunity to take a decisive step towards the world championship from third position, and Verstappen will face the challenge of coming back from sixth position to keep his mathematical chances in the championship alive.
Qatar F1 2025 Sprint Qualifying Results
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | SQ1 | SQ2 | SQ3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #81 |  Oscar Piastri |
McLaren | 1:20.055 | 1:20.055 | 1:20.055 |
| 2 | #63 |  George Russell |
Mercedes | 1:20.087 | 1:20.087 | 1:20.087 |
| 3 | #4 | Lando Norris |
McLaren | 1:20.285 | 1:20.285 | 1:20.285 |
| 4 | #14 |  Fernando Alonso |
Aston Martin | 1:20.450 | 1:20.450 | 1:20.450 |
| 5 | #22 |  Yuki Tsunoda |
Red Bull Racing | 1:20.519 | 1:20.519 | 1:20.519 |
| 6 | #1 |  Max Verstappen |
Red Bull Racing | 1:20.528 | 1:20.528 | 1:20.528 |
| 7 | #12 |  Kimi Antonelli |
Mercedes | 1:20.532 | 1:20.532 | 1:20.532 |
| 8 | #55 | Carlos Sainz |
Williams | 1:20.542 | 1:20.542 | 1:20.542 |
| 9 | #16 |  Charles Leclerc |
Ferrari | 1:20.622 | 1:20.622 | 1:20.622 |
| 10 | #23 |  Alexander Albon |
Williams | 1:20.788 | 1:20.788 | 1:20.788 |
| 11 | #6 |  Isack Hadjar |
Racing Bulls | 1:21.277 | 1:21.277 | - |
| 12 | #87 | Oliver Bearman |
Haas F1 Team | 1:21.494 | 1:21.494 | - |
| 13 | #5 |  Gabriel Bortoleto |
Kick Sauber | 1:21.567 | 1:21.567 | - |
| 14 | #27 |  Nico Hulkenberg |
Kick Sauber | 1:21.327 | 1:21.631 | - |
| 15 | #31 | Esteban Ocon |
Haas F1 Team | 1:21.666 | 1:21.666 | - |
| 16 | #18 |  Lance Stroll |
Aston Martin | 1:21.807 | - | - |
| 17 | #30 |  Liam Lawson |
Racing Bulls | 1:21.851 | - | - |
| 18 | #44 | Lewis Hamilton |
Ferrari | 1:22.043 | - | - |
| 19 | #10 | Pierre Gasly |
Alpine | 1:22.112 | - | - |
| 20 | #43 |  Franco Colapinto |
Alpine | 1:22.364 | - | - |
Upcoming Races
Drivers Standings 2025
| POS | PILOTO | PTS | ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | 423 | |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | 421 | |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | 410 | |
| 4 | George Russell | 319 | |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | 242 | |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | 156 | |
| 7 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | 150 | |
| 8 | Alexander Albon | 73 |
Manufacturers Standings 2025
| POS | CONSTRUCTOR | PTS | ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mclaren | 833 | |
| 2 | Mercedes | 469 | |
| 3 | Red Bull | 451 | |
| 4 | Ferrari | 398 | |
| 5 | Williams | 137 | |
| 6 | RB F1 Team | 92 | |
| 7 | Aston Martin | 89 | |
| 8 | Haas F1 Team | 79 |
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