Piastri Takes Qatar Pole in Record Time as F1 Title Battle Tightens

Oscar Piastri capped off a flawless Saturday at the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2025, taking pole position in record time and piling fresh pressure on McLaren teammate Lando Norris in an increasingly intense F1 title fight.
 

Just hours after winning the sprint race, Piastri delivered again — securing a potentially decisive P1 on the grid ahead of Norris and reigning world champion Max Verstappen, both still in the running for the championship.

Piastri beats track record as title fight heats up

The McLaren driver stunned under the Lusail lights with a 1:19.387, the third track record of the night, edging Norris by 0.108s and Verstappen by 0.264s.

Norris had led the final session, but a small mistake on his last flyer opened the door for Piastri, who seized the moment to perfection.

With overtaking notoriously difficult at the Lusail International Circuit, Sunday’s grid could prove pivotal in determining where the title swings next.

Sprint win tightens championship margins

Earlier on Saturday, Piastri claimed his third consecutive sprint win in Lusail, finishing ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, Norris, and Verstappen.

That result saw Norris drop two points to Piastri while gaining one on Verstappen. Heading into Sunday, Norris leads Piastri by 22 points and Verstappen by 25, with 50 points still available between Qatar and the Abu Dhabi finale — which does not include a sprint.

If Norris wins the Qatar Grand Prix, he secures the championship outright. If not, he must finish at least four points ahead of Piastri and avoid finishing behind Verstappen to seal the title with a race to spare.

McLaren momentum vs pressure

Piastri’s return to form comes after a challenging mid-season dip that cost him the championship lead. In Qatar, however, he has topped every session, signaling a fierce late-season resurgence.

Ferrari, meanwhile, endured another tough outing: Charles Leclerc finished 13th in the sprint and only managed 10th in qualifying, despite surviving a high-speed spin in Q3. Lewis Hamilton also struggled, placing 18th in both the sprint and qualifying.