Oscar Piastri will lead the F1 field away for the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint race after returning to pole position in Lusail.
For the first time since August's Dutch GP, Piastri will start from P1 after a stunning final lap, pipping George Russell to pole with title rival Lando Norris down in third.
If they were to finish one-three, Piastri would trim Norris's lead to 22 points. The other contender, Max Verstappen, was only sixth, after being out-qualified by his team-mate, Yuki Tsunoda, for the first time all season in any format. It is the first time since Sergio Perez at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP that Verstappen has been out-qualified.
Four cars have been relegated to the pit lane - they are Lance Stroll, Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.
All four cars endured a difficult sprint qualifying on Friday, exiting the session after SQ1.
NOTE: The grid remains provisional until officially confirmed by the FIA.
Full starting grid for 2025 F1 Qatar Grand Prix Sprint
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 2nd | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 3rd | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 4th | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 5th | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull |
| 6th | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 7th | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 8th | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 9th | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 10th | Alex Albon | Williams |
| 11th | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls |
| 12th | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 13th | Gabriel Bortoleto | Stake |
| 14th | Nico Hulkenberg | Stake |
| 15th | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 16th | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| PIT LANE | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| PIT LANE | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| PIT LANE | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| PIT LANE | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
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