Oscar Piastri won the sprint race in Qatar ahead of team-mate Lando Norris as McLaren closed in on a first constructors’ title in 26 years.
Much has been made of Norris’ lacklustre starts this season but the British driver blasted away from pole before playing the team game to help Piastri.
Norris then moved over for Piastri at the final bend after they traded positions in Brazil earlier this month.
George Russell finished third, while Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were fourth and fifth respectively for Ferrari.
F1 QATAR GRAND PRIX – LATEST UPDATES
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Max Verstappen claims pole position in Qatar; Russell 2nd; Norris 3rd
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Click HERE for the top-10 in qualifying
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Pierre Gasly knocked out in Q2, also out: Zhou, Bottas, Tsunoda, Stroll
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Alex Albon knocked out in Q1, also out: Lawson, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Ocon
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Oscar Piastri given sprint race win earlier by Lando Norris on final corner
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Max Verstappen under investigation
19:27 , Kieran Jackson
George Russell believes Verstappen held him up, dangerously, on an out-lap.
It looked a bit close for comfort… but I think the Red Bull man should be fine!
Here’s the incident below:
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lando Norris after qualifying P3…
19:23 , Kieran Jackson
“Not the position we were hoping for but the maximum we could do, for sure. My lap was pretty good but just not quick enough.
“Everyone saw how close it was between all of us, not a lot in it! We showed good racepace today, I was in clean air, but I expect a tougher race tomorrow.”
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: TOP-10 IN QUALIFYING
19:12 , Kieran Jackson
1. Max Verstappen – 1:20:520
2. George Russell – +0.055
3. Lando Norris – +0.252
4. Oscar Piastri – +0.309
5. Charles Leclerc – +0.332
6. Lewis Hamilton – +0.491
7. Carlos Sainz – +0.521
8. Fernando Alonso – +0.731
9. Sergio Perez – +0.905
10. Kevin Magnussen – +0.980
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Max Verstappen on pole position!
19:03 , Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen claims pole! By less than a tenth to George Russell!
Bit of a shock and a turnaround from earlier today! His first pole since Austria in June!
3-10: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Sainz, Alonso, Perez, Magnussen
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Norris backs off again!
18:59 , Kieran Jackson
Confirmed: Norris will just have one more shot then!
Final quali laps coming right up here!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Max Verstappen goes P2!
18:56 , Kieran Jackson
Verstappen goes quicker ahead of the final laps, to go second, just half-a-tenth down on Russell…
And Norris is actually going to go for two hot laps here!
4:00 to go in Q3…
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: George Russell on provisional pole!
18:54 , Kieran Jackson
Russell sets the timesheet alight, to go fastest by three-tenths to Charles Leclerc – with Lewis Hamilton in third!
4-10: Sainz, Piastri, Magnussen, Perez, Verstappen, Norris, Alonso
Lando Norris opted to dive into the pits on his hot lap after almost losing it at turn 5! He’ll only have one more chance for pole…
6:00 to go in Q1…
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Q3 underway!
18:47 , Kieran Jackson
Time for the top-10 shootout – who will be on pole position in Qatar?!
10 drivers involved: Norris, Piastri, Verstappen, Perez, Sainz, Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Alonso, Magnussen
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Sergio Perez just sneaks through!
18:42 , Kieran Jackson
Perez is through by 0.012 seconds to Pierre Gasly!
Lewis Hamilton was P5 in the end!
Bottom-five and out in Q2 (11-15): Gasly, Zhou, Bottas, Tsunoda, Stroll
Top-3: Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lewis Hamilton can’t improve
18:37 , Kieran Jackson
Hamilton stays in ninth after his second lap – will he need to go quicker?
Possibly so.
Current bottom-five (11-15): Bottas, Zhou, Tsunoda, Stroll, Alonso
Top-3: Norris, Verstappen, Russell
3:00 to go in Q2…
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Fernando Alonso has a lap deleted
18:33 , Kieran Jackson
For exceeding track limits, Alonso’s lap is deleted – and he is P15 as a result.
Current bottom-five (11-15): Bottas, Zhou, Tsunoda, Stroll, Alonso
Lewis Hamilton not safe yet in P9, while Pierre Gasly impresses in P6 for Alpine!
7:00 to go in Q2…
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Q2 underway!
18:25 , Kieran Jackson
Time for the second phase of qualifying – 15 minutes where again we will lose the slowest five drivers before the top-10 shootout!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Alex Albon is out in Q1!
18:21 , Kieran Jackson
Alex Albon knocked out right at the end by Yuki Tsunoda in a breathless end to Q1!
Nico Hulkenberg, who scored points in the sprint earlier, a surprise name in the bottom-five too!
Bottom-five and out in Q1: Albon, Lawson, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Ocon
Top-3: Russell, Leclerc, Sainz
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Alex Albon heading out!
18:15 , Kieran Jackson
The Williams driver needs a quick lap in the closing stages of Q1 here…
Current bottom-five (16-20): Hulkenberg, Albon, Zhou, Colapinto, Ocon
Top-3: Russell, Sainz, Norris
Sergio Perez living typically precariously in P11..
4:00 to go. Times continue to tumble…
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: George Russell quickest early on!
18:09 , Kieran Jackson
Russell looking to set the tone straight away as he goes quickest by two-tenths to Max Verstappen in second.
Current bottom-five (16-20): Zhou, Lawson, Colapinto, Gasly, Ocon
Plenty of time for the bottom-five to change yet!
10:00 to go in Q1…
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Q1 underway
18:00 , Kieran Jackson
George Russell the first car out on track at the start of Q1 in Lusail!
A reminder: 18 minutes where we will lose the slowest five drivers from the rest of qualifying.
Russell on medium tyres straight away, presumably to wear them in ahead of the race tomorrow.
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Track conditions!
17:59 , Kieran Jackson
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19C temperature
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22C track temperature
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60% humidity
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Windspeed: 12.2km/h
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Qualifying!
17:55 , Kieran Jackson
So… who we backing today?!
McLaren have set the early pace so far this weekend with sprint pole and race win, but can Ferrari, Mercedes and a below-par Red Bull respond?
Qualifying at the Lusail International Circuit is coming up in five minutes!
REVIEW: The never-ending legacy of Ayrton Senna continues in dynamic Netflix bio-drama
17:48 , Kieran Jackson
There’s something about sport, and the global fandom the lead protagonists generate, which triggers a propensity to hero-worship. Add to that the lives of fallen heroes, particularly those taken too soon, and the deep-rooted desire to remember and reminisce are intertwined with anniversaries and depictions in modern drama. Whether it be Netflix, Prime or Apple TV, they’re all at it.
Yet as 2024 nears its conclusion, there really can be no doubting the omnipresent legacy Brazilian idol Ayrton Senna left on the world.
Full piece below:
The never-ending legacy of Ayrton Senna continues in new Netflix drama
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Qualifying odds!
17:42 , Kieran Jackson
Pole position odds:
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Lando Norris – 8/11
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Oscar Piastri – 4/1
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George Russell – 6/1
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Charles Leclerc – 9/1
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Carlos Sainz – 10/1
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Max Verstappen – 12/1
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Lewis Hamilton – 16/1
Lewis Hamilton says he ‘doesn’t care’ after sprint race
17:35 , Kieran Jackson
“I don’t have an answer,” he said when asked if they had learned anything to help them in the race.
“At this point. I really don’t care. I just want to get through these next couple of races and do my job, turn up and looking forward to the winter break.
“I woke up this morning, and I think the most important thing is to leave with gratitude. So I’m really, really grateful that I get to do what I love doing, even when there are days that I don’t love it as much, and I’m really, really so lucky to be here amongst all these other amazing athletes.”
Lewis Hamilton very downbeat after the Qatar sprint:
17:13 , Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen after finishing the sprint in 8th:
16:44 , Kieran Jackson
“It’s very bad this weekend so far” 💬
Max Verstappen doesn’t think the car has enough pace to keep up with the frontrunners this weekend 👇 pic.twitter.com/rjgwg4N4mv
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 30, 2024
What are the start times in Qatar?
15:54 , Kieran Jackson
All times GMT
Saturday 30 November
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Qualifying: 6pm
Sunday 1 December
SPRINT REPORT: Lando Norris hands Oscar Piastri victory as McLaren take one-two in Qatar GP sprint
15:50 , Kieran Jackson
Oscar Piastri won the sprint race in Qatar ahead of team-mate Lando Norris as McLaren closed in on a first constructors’ title in 26 years.
Much has been made of Norris’ lacklustre starts this season but the British driver blasted away from pole before playing the team game to help Piastri.
Norris then moved over for Piastri at the final bend after they traded positions in Brazil earlier this month.
George Russell finished third, while Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were fourth and fifth respectively for Ferrari.
McLaren, who last won the team title in 1998, now hold a 30-point lead over Ferrari with 88 points to play for over the final two races.
Full report below:
Lando Norris hands Oscar Piastri victory as McLaren take one-two in Qatar GP sprint
VIDEO: End of the Qatar GP sprint!
15:05 , Kieran Jackson
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: George Russell, after finishing third…
14:56 , Kieran Jackson
“It was very close going into turn one on a couple of occasions, it was frustrating for Lando giving the DRS to Oscar. It was pretty infuriating!
“Q3 this afternoon is going to be the important one.”
TOP-8 IN THE QATAR GP SPRINT:
14:46 , Kieran Jackson
1. Oscar Piastri
2. Lando Norris
3. George Russell
4. Carlos Sainz
5. Charles Leclerc
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Nico Hulkenberg
8. Max Verstappen
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Oscar Piastri on team radio
14:38 , Kieran Jackson
“Appreciate the teamwork!” says Piastri.
I bet he does!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Oscar Piastri wins the sprint race!
14:32 , Kieran Jackson
Unbelievable!
Lando Norris gifts Oscar Piastri the victory at the last corner! He gives back the sprint win given to him in Brazil so Piastri takes first place in Qatar!
Russell takes third!
4-8: Sainz, Leclerc, Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Verstappen
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Piastri holds on to second! (Lap 19/19)
14:30 , Kieran Jackson
Crucial!
Piastri holds second at turn one of the final lap – and it’s unlikely that Russell will get another chance on this lap!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: George Russell still right on the tail of Oscar Piastri (Lap 17/19)
14:29 , Kieran Jackson
But the Mercedes still can’t find a way through, with Piastri still getting the aid of DRS from Norris!
A few more laps to hold on!
Top-10: Norris, Piastri, Russell, Sainz, Leclerc, Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Verstappen
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