Lando Norris gets pole position for the sprint race in Qatar

The British driver shines with an impeccable classification! With an impressive time of 1:21.012, he takes pole position for tomorrow's sprint race. In addition, he will share the front row with George Russell, promising an exciting battle from the start.

Photo: Mclaren 

Lando Norris completely dominated qualifying, showing impressive pace in each phase. In Q1 he clocked a solid 1:21.350, putting him on top from the start. In Q2 he improved even more with a time of 1:21.230, making it clear that he was in his best shape. Finally, he closed with a spectacular 1:21.012, securing pole position for tomorrow's race. An outstanding performance from the Briton that positions him as a favorite for the sprint.

During Q1, the Ferraris showed great pace, consolidating the good performance they had already shown in the free practice sessions. Max Verstappen was also competitive, reaffirming his usual strength. The surprise of this phase was Valtteri Bottas, who managed to advance to the next round with a solid performance. Furthermore, the competition was extremely close, with the top five drivers separated by just 0.240 thousandths, a minimal difference that highlighted the tightness of this initial classification.

The first eliminated was Checo Pérez, who once again raises doubts about his performance. There are already several classifications in which he is left out in the first phase, being very far from the level of his teammate, Max Verstappen. Another unexpected elimination was Yuki Tsunoda, who was surprising by not advancing, especially after having shown a good performance in practice. Along with them, Esteban Ocon, Guanyu Zhou and Franco Colapinto were also left out.

In the second half, Oscar Piastri's time is eliminated for going outside the limits of the track. Despite this setback, he managed to advance to the last part of the classification. Those eliminated in this phase were Fernando Alonso, Alexander Albon, Valtteri Bottas, Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen.

For the sprint race, Lando Norris will start from the front row alongside George Russell. Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz will be in the second row, while Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen will line up in the third row, who will start from the worst qualifying position of his entire career. In the fourth row, Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly will start, and in the fifth row will be Liam Lawson and Nico Hülkenberg.

These last three drivers will be fighting to take the most points, as Alpine, Haas and Racing Bulls are in a close fight for sixth place in the constructors' championship.