Watch the Qatar GP race start as Norris loses out to Verstappen

At the thrilling start of the Qatar Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri successfully maintained his lead, skillfully fending off rivals. Meanwhile, his McLaren teammate Lando Norris experienced a setback, losing second place to Max Verstappen on the intense opening lap as Verstappen surged ahead into Turn 1. This early struggle was crucial for Norris, who needed a victory to seal the championship. Piastri capitalized on the battle behind him, quickly building a gap. Further back, George Russell had a challenging start, dropping three positions to P7, while Kimi Antonelli advanced to fourth. Lewis Hamilton also made significant gains, climbing from P17 to P13 on soft tyres.