F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Sprint race start time and qualifying results as Lando Norris claims pole
F1 reaction from sprint qualifying at the Lusail International Circuit as Norris sneaks top spot
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Your support makes all the difference.Lando Norris bounced back from his F1 championship defeat to secure pole position for Saturday’s sprint race in Qatar.
The British driver, mocked by Max Verstappen for failing to win the title in a McLaren deemed superior to the rest of the field, saw off Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.063 seconds.
Norris’ pole, combined with Piastri qualifying third, hands a timely boost to McLaren as they bid to land their first constructors’ championship since 1998. The British team will take the title in Doha if they outscore Ferrari by 21 points and do not concede nine points to third-placed Red Bull. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc qualified fourth and fifth respectively for Ferrari.
Verstappen will start Saturday’s dash to the chequered flag from sixth, with Lewis Hamilton a place back, four-tenths slower than Russell in the other Mercedes.
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lando Norris after claiming pole...
“It’s tough, because it’s so quick around here - it feels like the quickest circuit of the year. Great qualifying today, especially to bounce back from where we were in Vegas. Decent lap, made too many mistakes on my second, but job done today.
“The wind plays a big part but the conditions are a lot better than last season. Some of the other cars are close to being flat in the final sector, when it feels quick it must be very fast.
“I wanna win every session as drivers, our target is a one-two - we want to maximise points for the constructors. Not expecting an easy one, an exciting one for everyone watching!”
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: TOP-10 FOR THE SPRINT:
1. Lando Norris
2. George Russell
3. Oscar Piastri
4. Carlos Sainz
5. Charles Leclerc
6. Max Verstappen
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Pierre Gasly
9. Nico Hulkenberg
10. Liam Lawson
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lando Norris on pole position for the sprint!
Lando Norris pitted early but his first lap did the job for the McLaren driver - he’s on pole by just under a tenth to George Russell!
3-10: Piastri, Sainz, Leclerc, Verstappen, Hamilton, Gasly, Hulkenberg, Lawson
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lando Norris quickest early on
Norris and Piastri in McLaren one-two!
Will it last?!
Leclerc in P3 right now - but track is ramping up all the time!
3:00 to go...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: SQ3 underway!
Here we go then - it’s time for the quickfire eight-minute shootout for pole!
10 drivers involved: Piastri, Norris, Leclerc, Sainz, Hamilton, Russell, Verstappen, Gasly, Lawson, Hulkenberg
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Fernando Alonso out!
Fernando Alonso is just knocked out right at the end by Pierre Gasly!
Bottom-five and out in SQ2 (11-15): Alonso, Albon, Bottas, Stroll, Magnussen
Top-3: Norris, Russell, Piastri
Liam Lawson sneaks through in P10!
“That was a good lap, no way!” Lawson says, when told he was through to SQ3.
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Oscar Piastri now in trouble!
Piastri’s lap time was deleted and now he’s in P14!
Current bottom-five (11-15): Alonso, Stroll, Bottas, Piastri, Magnussen
Will the Aussie make it?!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Oscar Piastri quickest early on!
Piastri goes quickest for McLaren, with the Mercedes pairing yet to set a timed lap!
Current bottom-five (11-15): Lawson, Russell, Hamilton, Magnussen, Bottas
Top-3: Piastri, Leclerc, Norris
Just 4:00 to go...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: SQ2 underway!
Eight of the 15 remaining drivers straight out on track at the start of SQ2!
10 minutes where we will again lose the slowest five drivers before the top-10 shootout.
Medium tyre, again, the compulsory compound in use...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Sergio Perez out in SQ1!
Sergio Perez is knocked out in the first stage of qualifying again - by just 0.013 seconds!
Deary me, when will it turn around for Checo?!
Bottom-five (16-20) and out in SQ1: Perez, Tsunoda, Ocon, Zhou, Colapinto
Alex Albon escapes in P15!
Top-3: Norris, Sainz, Russell
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