Catch up on FP1 in Qatar as Piastri goes fastest

Oscar Piastri set the pace in the sole Free Practice session for the Qatar Grand Prix, narrowly beating McLaren team mate and championship rival Lando Norris. Piastri's 1m 20.924s lap was just 0.058s quicker than Norris, who experienced several off-track moments. This performance is significant as Piastri trails Norris by 24 points in the Drivers' Championship, with the Sprint format in play for the final time this season. Title contender Max Verstappen finished a surprising P6, nearly six-tenths adrift of Piastri, with Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, and Isack Hadjar also outperforming him. Sprint Qualifying is next, setting the grid for Saturday's Sprint.