McLaren lay down an early marker as Piastri pips Norris in Qatar FP1
Oscar Piastri drew first blood in Qatar, edging McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 0.058s in the only practice session of the weekend — a cool, dusky hour that swung sharply once the softs came out.
It’s a Sprint weekend at Lusail, which means just one chance to get your eye in before competitive running. Early on, George Russell looked the class of the field on hard tyres, hustling the Mercedes to the top by a couple of tenths while McLaren kept its powder dry. Then the softs appeared, the sun dipped, and the order flipped.
Piastri’s 1:20.924 arrived late and clean, enough to push Norris into second as McLaren locked out the top two ahead of Sprint Qualifying. Fernando Alonso kept Aston Martin in the conversation with third, a tidy baseline that looked more hooked up than most on long arcs through Turns 12 and 13.
Williams had the kind of session team principals like to frame on the wall: Carlos Sainz was fourth and Alex Albon seventh, both chipping away as the temperature dropped and grip came to them. Between them sat an eye-catching Isack Hadjar in fifth for Racing Bulls — a proper statement lap from the rookie under Lusail’s bright lights.
Max Verstappen was sixth after spending much of the hour working through heavier-fuel runs and balance tweaks; expect the Red Bull to look very different once parc fermé creeps closer. Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari was eighth, Lance Stroll put the second Aston in ninth, and Kimi Antonelli completed the top 10 with a composed effort on his soft run.
Russell, the early pace-setter, slipped to 14th when Mercedes switched compounds — a reminder that one-lap prep is everything here, and not everyone nailed it on the first swing. Lewis Hamilton wound up 12th in the other Ferrari, just behind Nico Hülkenberg’s Kick Sauber and ahead of Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull.
As for the title picture, Norris holds a 24-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship. With both a Sprint and Grand Prix to score from, the arithmetic is simple enough: outscore Piastri and Verstappen by two points across the weekend and the McLaren driver can put the big one to bed on Sunday night. Based on FP1 alone, he won’t get it easy — Piastri looks in no mood to play supporting act.
Qatar GP FP1 classification
1. Oscar Piastri, McLaren – 1:20.924
2. Lando Norris, McLaren +0.058
3. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +0.386
4. Carlos Sainz, Williams +0.480
5. Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls +0.579
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing +0.580
7. Alexander Albon, Williams +0.685
8. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +0.744
9. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +0.745
10. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes +0.774
11. Nico Hülkenberg, Kick Sauber +0.859
12. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari +0.870
13. Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing +0.872
14. George Russell, Mercedes +0.900
15. Oliver Bearman, Haas +1.002
16. Gabriel Bortoleto, Kick Sauber +1.002
17. Esteban Ocon, Haas +1.172
18. Pierre Gasly, Alpine +1.500
19. Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls +1.638
20. Franco Colapinto, Alpine +2.605
What to watch next
– Track evolution is king here. Grip ramped up visibly across the hour; expect another step under full darkness for Sprint Qualifying.
– McLaren’s long-run whispers were strong, but the Red Bull looked happier as fuel came out. Telltale signs of a tight Sprint.
– Williams’ balance looked honest on both compounds. If they convert practice promise into quali execution, both cars could be in the mix for points in a big way.
It’s a sprint to the flag in more ways than one. If FP1 is anything to go by, McLaren has the pace to control the narrative — it’s just that Piastri may have his own ending in mind.
