Qatar GP: Formula 1 qualification – Vestappen takes pole, Piastri wins sprint | Motorsport News

Max Verstappen takes pole position for the Qatar GP in Formula 1, while Oscar Piastri wins the sprint race in qualifying on Saturday.

Lando Norris ignored the team’s orders as he handed his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri victory in the sprint race in Qatar on Saturday, while champion Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Grand Prix.

With McLaren aiming for its first Formula 1 constructors’ title in 26 years and George Russell close behind for Mercedes, Norris was instructed by the team over the radio to finish ahead of Piastri “in that order”.

He still decided to give his teammate the win by turning right at the exit of the final corner and then swinging back in front of Russell, who finished third.

“The team told me not to do it, but I thought I could get away with it and we did,” Norris said. “Honestly, I don’t mind. I’m not here to win sprint races. I’m here to win races and the championship, but that’s not going according to plan.”

Norris had Brazil on his mind in Qatar

Norris got back at Piastri for doing the same thing in the sprint race in Brazil, when Norris was still battling Verstappen for the drivers’ title.

“I made my decision in Brazil when it happened,” Norris said. “I had to do something to give it back.”

Piastri said he didn’t expect Norris to take the risk. “I knew it could happen. I was a bit surprised it was like that since George was half a second (out),” Piastri said. “It just shows our teamwork and the lack of egos within the team.”

This continues a season in which McLaren’s racing tactics were often the subject of discussion, such as when Norris and Piastri swapped the lead in Hungary after a long and often unpleasant radio conversation with the team.

On Saturday, Norris started from pole position and maintained the lead at the start while Piastri pushed past Russell into second place. As Russell Piastri repeatedly attacked, Norris fell behind instead of building a lead. This meant that Piastri was within a second of Norris, meaning the Australian was able to use the DRS overtaking aid for additional speed.

McLaren teamwork “frustrates” Mercedes

Russell said he found McLaren’s teamwork “quite annoying” while stuck behind Piastri, and also protested what he said were late moves by Piastri to defend the position.

“Hopefully we can have a real race (on Sunday) instead of this team ordering things,” Russell said.

The F1 champion didn’t play a big role in the sprint but returned to form in qualifying and took pole for Sunday’s race from Russell by just 0.055 seconds on his final run.

It is his first pole since the Austrian Grand Prix in June after McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes all piled pressure on the previously dominant Red Bull team in the second half of the season.

“Crazy. I mean, to be honest, I didn’t expect that,” said Verstappen. “We made a few changes to the car, but I never thought that the performance would increase so much as a result.”

Qatar and Abu Dhabi play a crucial role in deciding the F1 championship

Norris was 0.252 seconds behind and is in third place, followed by Piastri in fourth place, followed by Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr.

McLaren extended its lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ championship to 30 points and has both drivers ahead of the Ferraris on the grid.

Teams can collect a maximum of 88 additional points at the Qatar Grand Prix and next week’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Red Bull fell to 67 points behind McLaren in the standings, while Verstappen – who was crowned drivers’ champion for the fourth time in Las Vegas last week – finished eighth and his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was last after a pit stop to compete To change the nose of his car.