Oscar Piastri has reignited his Formula 1 title campaign by securing pole position for the Qatar sprint race, putting him in prime position to close Lando Norris’s 24-point lead in the championship.
The Australian delivered a superb final lap of 1:20.055, edging Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.032 seconds and pushing Norris down to third on the grid. With 58 points still available across the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi — including eight from the sprint — Piastri is now perfectly placed to capitalise.
Max Verstappen, level on points with Piastri and still in contention for the title, will start only sixth after struggling with severe bouncing and unpredictable balance in his Red Bull. He described the car as suffering from “really bad bouncing” and shifting from understeer to oversteer at high speed, reminiscent of the porpoising problems that disqualified the McLarens in Las Vegas. His teammate Yuki Tsunoda will line up ahead in fifth but has already stated he will assist Verstappen’s title bid.
For Piastri, the pole marks a long-awaited return to form after a gradual decline in recent rounds. The Australian, who has won the past two Qatar sprints, admitted his pole lap nearly unravelled after a slide at Turn 4 cost him two tenths — but he recovered with a strong finish to reclaim P1. Norris, meanwhile, conceded he made a mistake in the final corner and believes overtaking will be difficult on the Lusail circuit, predicting a likely third-place finish unless he can beat Russell off the line.
Kiwi driver Liam Lawson endured a tougher qualifying, starting 17th after struggling with instability in his Racing Bulls car during practice.
Lawson said the team had to make a “big step” heading into qualifying, costing him a clean lap. With only this weekend remaining to impress Red Bull management before the 2026 lineup is finalised, the pressure is intensifying. He is still considered a contender for a Racing Bulls race seat.
Russell’s strong performance places him as the “meat in the McLaren sandwich,” while Fernando Alonso will start fourth for Aston Martin. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton continued his difficult run, qualifying only 18th after also starting last in Las Vegas. Alpine had the worst outing, locking out the back row with Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.
With the title battle tightening and track conditions proving unpredictable, the Qatar sprint promises a pivotal showdown under the lights at Lusail.
