What the teams said – Sprint Qualifying in Qatar

Oscar Piastri secured Sprint Pole Position at the Qatar Grand Prix, leading a strong McLaren performance. Lando Norris, despite rapid pace, dropped to third due to mistakes and track limits. George Russell impressively split the McLarens, qualifying second for Mercedes.Red Bull's Max Verstappen struggled with car balance, placing sixth, while teammate Yuki Tsunoda surprisingly out-qualified him in fifth. Fernando Alonso delivered a brilliant fourth for Aston Martin. Ferrari endured a tough session, with Charles Leclerc ninth and Lewis Hamilton a disappointing 18th. Williams showed unexpected strength, getting both Carlos Sainz (8th) and Alex Albon (10th) into SQ3, defying expectations on a track not suited to their car.