Shock Qatar Sprint Shootout: Piastri pole, Tsunoda out-qualifies Verstappen, Hamilton out in SQ1. Oscar Piastri claims pole in the Qatar GP Sprint qualifying.

Oscar Piastri returned to form by taking pole position in the Qatar GP Sprint qualifying at Lusail. The Australian emerged from what seemed like a deep slump to put his McLaren MCL39 ahead of the field with a 1:20.055 lap, setting a new track record at Lusail. Piastri finished over two-tenths ahead of his teammate Lando Norris, while George Russell inserted himself between the two McLarens with an excellent second-place performance in his Mercedes.

Piastri now has four pole positions in sprint events, matching Lando Norris, and re-establishes himself as a strong contender for the championship. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, continued to struggle with his Red Bull RB21, complaining about bouncing issues that made some corners nearly undrivable. A rare aborted lap in SQ3, after running wide into the sand, prevented him from producing a competitive lap, leaving him behind Yuki Tsunoda, who secured an impressive fifth with the second Red Bull.

It’s clear that the Milton Keynes team made a setup error, resulting in an unbalanced RB21. Verstappen finished just nine thousandths behind Yuki Tsunoda and was unable to challenge the McLarens, making some heavy comments over team radio about unresolved steering issues that persisted since free practice.

In the second row, Fernando Alonso shone with the Aston Martin, securing fourth place. The Spanish driver’s performance stands out, though some attribute part of the result to Adrian Newey’s expertise in his new role as team principal at the Doha pit wall.

Kimi Antonelli defended well to claim seventh with the second Mercedes. An early mistake had dropped him to tenth, but he rebuilt his performance carefully, avoiding unnecessary risks. Antonelli finished ahead of Carlos Sainz, who continued to show strong form in his Williams, with Alexander Albon also reaching the top ten in tenth place.

Ferrari endured a difficult session, with Charles Leclerc only ninth, sandwiched between the Williams cars. While Charles Leclerc did his best, the SF-25’s potential was not fully realized on a track that does not suit the car. The Monegasque finished over half a second behind the McLarens, highlighting Ferrari’s position as the sixth fastest team, making it unlikely to challenge for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship or close the gap to Mercedes.

Isack Hadjar missed out on the top 10 after having his best lap deleted for a track limits violation at Turn 8. Oliver Bearman finished 12th in the Haas VF-25, which struggles at Lusail, while Esteban Ocon was only 15th, a couple of tenths slower than the younger teammate Liam Lawson in 17th. The two Sauber drivers also reached their limits, with Nico Hulkenberg running wide in the sand and finishing behind Gabriel Bortoleto in 13th.

Lewis Hamilton appears to be mentally disengaged. After finishing 20th in Las Vegas, he was eliminated in SQ1, starting 18th. The seven-time world champion, in his first season with Ferrari, remarked that “the car had nothing more to give!” Hamilton’s choice of a higher-downforce setup than Charles Leclerc did not yield the desired results.

Lance Stroll disappointed in 16th with the Aston Martin. His last lap was deleted for a track limit, and the lap he set would not have allowed him to escape Q1, while teammate Fernando Alonso was second. Liam Lawson continues to struggle, finishing 17th with the Racing Bulls, and the Alpine pair ended up at the back with Pierre Gasly ahead of Franco Colapinto, all within expected results.

SQ3 results