Oscar Piastri’s Qatar weekend keeps burning red-hot. Fresh off his Sprint victory, the McLaren driver produced one of the standout laps of the season to take pole for the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix — a result that places all three championship contenders on the sharp end of the grid. His 1:19.387 was bold, calculated and exact when it mattered, denying teammate Lando Norris and keeping Max Verstappen close enough to send the 2025 F1 World Championship hurtling toward a spectacular showdown under Sunday’s lights.
What To Know?
- Piastri pole with 1:19.387s, ahead of teammate Norris P2 and Verstappen in P3
- Eliminated in Q1: Tsunoda, Ocon, Hamilton, Stroll, Colapinto
- Eliminated in Q2: Hulkenberg, Lawson, Bearman, Bortoleto, Albon
Norris had set the early tone in Q3, topping the order after the first runs, but his final flying lap evaporated the moment he ran wide at Turn 2 — forced to back out and watch the pole opportunity slip through his fingers. The title leader still starts alongside his teammate, just 0.108s adrift, and with a simple equation: win tomorrow, and become world champion for the first time. Verstappen will launch from P3 with a different objective entirely — finish ahead of Norris and drag the title fight to Abu Dhabi.
Formula One History Recommends
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2025 Qatar GP FP1: Piastri Fastest From Norris in First Practice
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2025 Qatar GP Sprint Qualifying: Piastri Takes Sprint Pole off Russell
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Just behind the title trio, Mercedes locked in two cars inside the top five, George Russell in fourth ahead of rookie Kimi Antonelli — an impressive showing once again reinforcing his rapid development. Williams’ Carlos Sainz followed in sixth, while Fernando Alonso slotted into seventh for Aston Martin. Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc completed the top ten, the Ferrari driver at least progressing this time after a bruising Sprint—but still staring at a long and complex race ahead.
The margins deeper in the field were razor-thin. Nico Hulkenberg fell heartbreakingly short of Q3 by only 0.003s, joined in the Q2 drop zone by Liam Lawson, Ollie Bearman and Sauber teammate Gabriel Bortoleto — the latter clipping gravel on his final push and paying for it with elimination. Alex Albon missed out as well after a pit-lane incident placed him under investigation post-session.
The early casualties told their own story. Yuki Tsunoda, riding high after his Sprint performance, was knocked out in Q1 by just one tenth, followed by Esteban Ocon and Lewis Hamilton — the Ferrari driver making it three straight early exits in qualifying. Lance Stroll and Franco Colapinto completed the drop, both cars lacking the balance or confidence to progress.
The stage was now locked in. A McLaren front-row lockout. Verstappen behind them and a 57–lap race under Qatar’s desert floodlights.
2025 Qatar GP Qualifying Results
2025 Qatar Grand Prix Qualifying, 29 November 2025
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:20.234 | 1:19.650 | 1:19.387 | 18 |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:20.157 | 1:19.861 | 1:19.495 | 17 |
| 3 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:20.472 | 1:19.985 | 1:19.651 | 23 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:20.074 | 1:20.186 | 1:19.662 | 26 |
| 5 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:20.576 | 1:20.084 | 1:19.846 | 22 |
| 6 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:20.603 | 1:20.350 | 1:20.114 | 20 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:20.520 | 1:20.251 | 1:20.287 | 25 |
| 8 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:20.598 | 1:20.219 | 1:20.418 | 21 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:20.681 | 1:20.324 | 1:20.477 | 21 |
| 10 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:20.564 | 1:20.343 | 1:20.561 | 23 |
| 11 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 1:20.630 | 1:20.353 | 20 | |
| 12 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:20.539 | 1:20.433 | 15 | |
| 13 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 1:20.548 | 1:20.438 | 20 | |
| 14 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 1:20.653 | 1:20.534 | 20 | |
| 15 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:20.629 | 1:20.629 | 19 | |
| 16 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 1:20.761 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 1:20.864 | 11 | ||
| 18 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:20.907 | 9 | ||
| 19 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:21.058 | 10 | ||
| 20 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:21.137 | 9 |
2025 Qatar Grand Prix Starting Grid
The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix Qualifying session.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:19.387 | 18 |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:19.495 | 17 |
| 3 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:19.651 | 23 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:19.662 | 26 |
| 5 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:19.846 | 22 |
| 6 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:20.114 | 20 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:20.287 | 25 |
| 8 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:20.418 | 21 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:20.477 | 21 |
| 10 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:20.561 | 23 |
| 11 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 1:20.353 | 20 |
| 12 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:20.433 | 15 |
| 13 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 1:20.438 | 20 |
| 14 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 1:20.534 | 20 |
| 15 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:20.629 | 19 |
| 16 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 1:20.761 | 9 |
| 17 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 1:20.864 | 11 |
| 18 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:20.907 | 9 |
| 19 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:21.058 | 10 |
| 20 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:21.137 | 9 |
Race Guide
Season: 2025 F1 World Championship
Race weekend: 28 November 2025 – 30 November 2025
Race date: Sunday, 30 November, 2025
Race start time: 19:00 local time
Circuit: Lusail International Circuit
Laps: 57
Circuit length: 5.38km
2024 winner: Max Verstappen
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