News Beat
Oscar Piastri takes Qatar GP sprint pole with Lando Norris third
Piastri, who has not finished on the podium since the Italian Grand Prix back in September, admitted he was delighted to be back in first place. “It makes a change,” he said. “Obviously it’s only sprint pole for a few points but I’ll take what I can get. The car felt really good all day.”
Norris agreed, saying the “pace was there” to do better but adding that he cost himself with a mistake at the final corner. He added that his best chance of passing Russell on Saturday morning was to get him “off the line” as overtaking would be tricky thereafter.
Verstappen, too, said he was not planning on doing much passing (Tsunoda aside), especially with his car feeling off kilter from lap one. “Just really bad bouncing and very aggressive understeer that would shift into oversteer at high-speed,” he said. “With this balance, [the sprint race] will not be a lot of fun. It will be more about trying to survive I guess and make some changes going into qualifying.”
At least he is not Lewis Hamilton, whose miserable season continues. One week after qualifying dead last in Las Vegas, the seven-time world champion could not make it out of SQ1 and will start Saturday’s sprint in 18th place. That is now P13, P20 and P18 for Hamilton in his last three qualifying sessions.
“Ah man, the car won’t go any quicker,” Hamilton said on his warm down lap. It was an unfortunate choice of words on a day when team-mate Charles Leclerc made it into SQ3, qualifying P9, in the same car. “Was the car tricky to drive?” Hamilton was asked. “Same as always,” he replied. “Anything positive you can take into tomorrow?” “The weather’s nice.”
Qatar Grand Prix sprint qualifying classification
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- George Russell, Mercedes
- Lando Norris, McLaren
- Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
- Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
- Carlos Sainz, Williams
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Alexander Albon, Williams
- Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
- Oliver Bearman, Haas
- Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
- Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
- Esteban Ocon, Haas
- Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
- Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- Pierre Gasly, Alpine
- Franco Colapinto, Alpine
