McLaren Dominates Qatar Sprint as Norris Gifts Victory to Piastri
Oscar Piastri claimed victory in the Qatar Sprint following a McLaren one-two finish, with teammate Lando Norris deliberately ceding the lead on the final lap – a gesture reciprocating Piastri's similar move in Brazil last month.
Two IndyCar racers competing head-to-head
Norris dominated from pole position, while Piastri secured second place after overtaking George Russell in the opening corners. The McLaren duo maintained their positions throughout the race, with Norris helping Piastri defend against Russell's Mercedes by managing the DRS advantage.
Russell made several attempts to pass Piastri but found the Australian's defense impenetrable. The Mercedes driver finished third, followed by Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Lewis Hamilton secured sixth place, with Nico Hulkenberg scoring valuable points for Haas in seventh. Notably, Max Verstappen struggled to eighth after a poor start, while Pierre Gasly and Kevin Magnussen completed the top 10.
The strategic team play by McLaren helped narrow Ferrari's constructors' championship lead to 30 points, with both teams showcasing strong performances throughout the sprint race.
F1 race results standings
Further down the order, Franco Colapinto finished 18th after passing Sergio Perez, who started from the pit lane and ultimately finished 20th following a front wing change. Zhou Guanyu's gamble on soft tires backfired, forcing a pit stop that left him in 19th position.
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