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 GRAND PRIX – LATEST UPDATES
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Qatar hosts round 23 of the 2024 season and the final sprint weekend of the year
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The sprint race starts at 2pm (GMT) on Saturday; qualifying is at 6pm
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Lando Norris starts on pole for the sprint race; Russell 2nd; Piastri 3rd
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McLaren have a 24-point lead to Ferrari in the race for the constructors’ championship
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Lando Norris reacts to Max Verstappen F1 title dig: ‘He should start doing comedy’
What are the start times in Qatar?
19:29 , Kieran Jackson
All times GMT
Saturday 30 November
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Sprint race: 2pm
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Qualifying: 6pm
Sunday 1 December
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Charles Leclerc after claiming P5 in qualifying
19:09 , Kieran Jackson
“Not good, when we are P4 and P5 it is not great, considering how important this weekend is for us. We are coming back to reality.”
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Oscar Piastri after qualifying third…
18:52 , Kieran Jackson
“With these conditions, it was very tough. I was in the groove at the end but very fine margins, it’s a lot of fun.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella after sprint qualifying:
18:43 , Kieran Jackson
“P1 and P3, better than Vegas! it was difficult to put perfect laps together. We have to acknowledge that Mercedes are within the same tenth, Ferrari are very close – it’s certainly not an easy ride!
“We have to work hard to get the points tomorrow.”
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lando Norris after claiming pole…
18:35 , Kieran Jackson
“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:
18:24 , Kieran Jackson
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!
18:16 , Kieran Jackson
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
18:12 , Kieran Jackson
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!
18:08 , Kieran Jackson
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!
18:01 , Kieran Jackson
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!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Oscar Piastri now in trouble!
17:58 , Kieran Jackson
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!
17:56 , Kieran Jackson
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!
17:51 , Kieran Jackson
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!
17:45 , Kieran Jackson
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
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lewis Hamilton is in the bottom-five!
17:40 , Kieran Jackson
Trouble for Hamilton with three minutes left
Current bottom-five (16-20): Alonso, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Zhou, Colapinto
2:00 to go in SQ1!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lando Norris goes quickest early on
17:37 , Kieran Jackson
Promising stuff for McLaren early on, with Norris top of the timesheet with a 1:22:785, four-tenths quicker than Charles Leclerc in third – George Russell splits them in second!
Current bottom-five (16-20): Perez, Lawson, Zhou, Colapinto, Alonso
5:00 to go in SQ1
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: SQ1 underway!
17:32 , Kieran Jackson
Here we go then!
12 minutes in this quickfire first qualifying session where we will lose the slowest five drivers from the remainder of qualifying!
And the medium compound is the compulsory tyre of use!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Sprint qualifying coming right up!
17:26 , Kieran Jackson
Five minutes from sprint qualifying then – is Charles Leclerc the favourite after his rapid lap in practice earlier?
And what about McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull – they’re always in the mix!
It’ll be quickfire in what is the last sprint qualifying of the 2024 season!
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