Image: from NicoTheF1sh X@NicoMorPy
By Lucas Reid | Staff Writer with Agencies
Oscar Piastri delivered a commanding performance under the lights of Lusail, taking pole position for the penultimate round of the 2025 Formula One season. The McLaren driver set a superb lap of 1:19.387, securing his sixth pole of the year and leading a dominant one-two for the team. Championship leader Lando Norris followed closely, only 0.108 seconds behind, confirming McLaren’s strong form as the title battle intensifies. Max Verstappen claimed third place and remained firmly in contention for the championship fight.
The session came only hours after the Sprint race, where Piastri had controlled the field from start to finish. Russell finished that race in second place, with Norris completing the podium and Verstappen taking fourth.
As night fell over Qatar, cooler conditions settled in the circuit. Air temperature dropped to 21 degrees Celsius, and the track measured 26 degrees, creating ideal conditions for qualifying. Gabriel Bortoleto entered the session with a five-place grid penalty from his incident with Lance Stroll in Las Vegas.
Q1 began with immediate tension. Esteban Ocon and Alexander Albon nearly collided before the session even truly started, and race control took note of the incident. Once the field was released, all drivers opted for soft tyres to secure their initial laps. Fernando Alonso set the early pace with 1:20.980 while several drivers struggled to find rhythm, among them Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver continued to endure a difficult weekend and found himself only in 19th position with little time remaining.
As the clock expired, Yuki Tsunoda and Hamilton dropped out along with Ocon, Stroll, and Colapinto. Norris topped the session with 1:20.157, narrowly ahead of Piastri.
In Q2, the field intensified its pace. Oliver Bearman briefly led, but the times quickly tumbled as Piastri posted the first lap under one minute twenty, with 1:19.650. Norris had recorded a competitive time, although track limits invalidated his lap and placed him under pressure. With one minute to go, Piastri, Norris, Verstappen, and Russell held the top four positions, and the final order confirmed the elimination of Hülkenberg, Lawson, Bearman, Bortoleto, and Albon. The Brazilian rookie, already hit with a penalty, would start only 19th.
The final phase of qualifying delivered the decisive fight for pole. Norris led the early exchange with a provisional 1:19.495, only 0.035 ahead of Piastri. Russell and Verstappen completed the second row. Charles Leclerc suffered a dramatic moment when he spun multiple times in the runoff area but managed to return to the track. A separate incident involving Carlos Sainz forced race control to deploy a red flag to remove debris that had fallen from the Williams.
With only a few minutes left once the session resumed, each driver had one final chance. Piastri delivered when it mattered. His lap of 1:19.387 moved him to the top. Verstappen attempted to challenge but remained third. Norris secured second place to lock the McLaren one-two. Russell finished fourth. Antonelli followed in fifth. Hadjar, Sainz, Alonso, Gasly, and Leclerc completed the top ten.
Qatar GP Qualifying Results, 2025
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1) Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes), 1’19.387
2) Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes), 1’19.495
3) Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT), 1’19.651
4) George Russell (Mercedes), 1’19.662
5) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 1’19.846
6) Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT), 1’20.114
7) Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes), 1’20.287
8) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes), 1’20.418
9) Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Renault), 1’20.477
10) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 1’20.561
11) Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari), 1’20.353
12) Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT), 1’20.433
13) Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari), 1’20.438
14) Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes), 1’20.629
15) Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT), 1’20.761
16) Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari), 1’20.864
17) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 1’20.907
18) Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes), 1’21.058
19) Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari), 1’20.534
20) Franco Colapinto (Alpine/Renault), 1’21.137
McLaren now heads into Sunday’s race with a clear strategic advantage. Piastri aims to convert pole into another victory and keep his title hopes alive. Norris begins alongside him as the driver still leading the standings. Verstappen starts immediately behind the two McLarens and will attempt to disrupt their plans as the championship nears its climax.
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