Piastri takes crucial Qatar pole from Norris and Verstappen

Oscar Piastri secured a stunning pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix, building on his Sprint victory. The McLaren driver narrowly edged out teammate Lando Norris, who made a crucial error on his final Q3 lap, preventing a McLaren 1-2 lock-out on the front row. Max Verstappen qualified third, setting up a thrilling title showdown in Sunday's race. Norris can clinch his maiden Formula 1 title with a win, while Verstappen must finish ahead of him to extend the championship fight to Abu Dhabi. Notable Q3 participants included George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for Mercedes, Carlos Sainz for Williams, Fernando Alonso for Aston Martin, Pierre Gasly for Alpine, and Charles Leclerc for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton faced another Q1 exit.