Oscar Piastri Claims Pole for Qatar Sprint Race

DOHA, Qatar – Oscar Piastri secured pole position for the Qatar Sprint Race on Saturday, edging out George Russell and McLaren teammate Lando Norris during Friday’s qualifying at Lusail International Circuit.

Piastri’s fastest lap of 1:20.055 came in the crucial SQ3 qualifying session, allowing him to narrowly beat Russell by just 0.032 seconds. This significant achievement marks Piastri’s first pole position since late August, signaling a return to competitive form as the 2025 F1 season approaches its climax.

Teammate Lando Norris, who leads the championship standings with a 24-point advantage over both Piastri and Max Verstappen, finished third after mistakenly running wide at the final corner during his final lap attempt.

Fernando Alonso qualified fourth for Aston Martin, with Yuki Tsunoda taking firth place ahead of Verstappen, who rounded out the top six after struggling with car balance issues.

The results of the top-10 qualifying positions for the sprint included:
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:20.055
2. George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:20.087
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:20.285
4. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 1:20.450
5. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) – 1:20.519
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – did not achieve a clean final lap.

Piastri commented on his pole achievement, saying, “It’s nice to be back at the front. I set a good time when it mattered.” He faces tough competition with only a limited points reward available during the sprint.

Points awarded during the sprint race range from 8 for the winner to 1 for the eighth-place finisher, making the upcoming race essential for both Piastri and his championship rivals. As the adrenaline mounts, fans await the sprint race on Saturday amidst mix of excitement and tension in the air.