F1 2025 Qatar GP Sprint Race Starting Grid with Penalties app…read more
The battle for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship took another twist under the bright floodlights of the Lusail International Circuit, as Oscar Piastri delivered an exceptional performance to secure pole position for the Qatar Sprint. After several difficult weekends, the Australian returned to form in commanding fashion, reminding the paddock why he remains a central figure in this year’s fierce three-way title fight with Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
Piastri, who has struggled to find consistency since his Dutch Grand Prix win in late August, arrived in Qatar with a 24-point deficit to team-mate Norris. Despite the pressure, the McLaren driver looked calm and confident throughout the Sprint Qualifying phases, ultimately securing the top spot with a superb lap time of 1:20.055. His pace was enough to narrowly edge out Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.032 seconds, reinforcing McLaren’s strong pace on the medium-speed but physically demanding Lusail layout.
Lando Norris, currently leading the championship, could only manage third place, ending the session 0.230s off Piastri’s benchmark. While still a solid position for Saturday’s Sprint, Norris would have hoped for more, especially as every point is critical with only two race weekends left on the calendar.
One of the most surprising developments came from the Red Bull camp. Max Verstappen, who sits level with Piastri in the standings—also 24 points behind Norris—could not extract the performance he needed during SQ3. A small but costly mistake on his first push lap on the soft tyres left him under pressure, and although he attempted a recovery, he finished his final effort 0.473s slower than Piastri, placing him sixth on the Sprint grid. With his title hopes hanging by a thread, Verstappen now faces a more difficult task heading into the Sprint.
Fernando Alonso delivered one of the standout performances of the session. The veteran Spaniard put his Aston Martin on the second row, securing fourth place with a time of 1:20.450, proving once again that experience and precision still matter in modern F1.
Another strong showing came from Yuki Tsunoda, who continues to impress in his first season with Red Bull Racing. The Japanese driver ended the session fifth, just ahead of Verstappen, though the gap between the teammates was a mere 0.009s.
Mercedes’ teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli also performed well, securing seventh and finishing only a tenth behind Verstappen. Another promising sign for what many believe is F1’s next superstar.
Williams had mixed fortunes: Carlos Sainz produced a clean and competitive lap for eighth place, while Alex Albon placed 11th after narrowly missing out on SQ3.
Ferrari endured yet another painful qualifying session, with Charles Leclerc barely scraping into the top ten and Lewis Hamilton struggling badly once again. Hamilton’s issues have become an unfortunate theme this season. One week after finishing dead last during qualifying at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the seven-time champion found himself 18th, faster only than the two Alpine drivers. His lap of 1:22.043 left many fans concerned about Ferrari’s direction late in the championship.
Alpine’s struggles continued in full force. Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto locked out the final row of the grid, showing no signs of improvement in an increasingly difficult season for the French squad.
With Piastri back on form and Norris still in striking distance, the Qatar Sprint promises an intense battle—not only for points but for psychological momentum as the championship approaches its climax. Verstappen, forced into recovery mode, will certainly be aggressive, while Mercedes and Aston Martin will look to disrupt the McLaren-Red Bull fight at the front.
Overall, Sprint Qualifying offered a dramatic shake-up, strong storylines, and a clear signal: the 2025 season is heading toward an electrifying conclusion.
2025 Qatar GP – Sprint Qualifying Results (Table)
Position Driver Team Time
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 Red Bull 1:20.519
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:20.528
7 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:20.532
8 Carlos Sainz Williams 1:20.542
9 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:20.622
10 Alexander Albon Williams 1:20.788
11 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls 1:21.433
12 Oliver Bearman Haas 1:21.494
13 Gabriel Bortoleto Stake F1 1:21.567
14 Nico Hülkenberg Stake F1 1:21.631
15 Esteban Ocon Haas 1:21.666
16 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:21.807
17 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 1:21.851
18 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:22.043
19 Pierre Gasly
Alpine 1:22.112
20 Franco Colapinto Alpine 1:22.364
