Norris slips up in final lap to give rival advantage
Max Verstappen third on grid; Hamilton 18th
Oscar Piastri claimed pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix, a vital result in the tense world championship fight with his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, who was in second, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who finished third. The Australian took top spot with his final lap after Norris had laid down a strong marker in a tightly fought contest at the Lusail International Circuit.
Lewis Hamilton’s trying weekend in a poorly performing Ferrari continued as he went out in Q1 in 18th place, having managed only 17th in the sprint race.
Earlier in the day, Piastri had won the sprint race and with Norris, the championship leader, third it was a vital boost to the Australian’s title ambitions. The third championship contender, Verstappen, took fourth place dropping a point to Norris.
