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- F1
Follow F1 updates at the Lusail International Circuit with the 2025 championship in touching distance for British driver Norris
Kieran JacksonFormula 1 CorrespondentSunday 30 November 2025 15:30 GMTComments
Close'I'm pretty used to it': Lando Norris ahead of Qatar GP with 2025 F1 title at stake
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Lando Norris failed to complete his last lap in qualifying for Sunday’s crucial Qatar Grand Prix to allow F1 championship rival Oscar Piastri to take pole position.
Norris, who will start alongside his McLaren team-mate for the penultimate round of the campaign in Doha, held a slender advantage heading into the decisive concluding laps. But the British driver made a mistake when he ran wide at the second corner, and was forced to abort, leaving Piastri the chance to usurp him at the top of the order.
Piastri, a winner of the earlier sprint race here, which took him to within 22 points of Norris’ lead with 50 points still to play for, did not waste his opportunity, clinching pole by 0.108 seconds. Max Verstappen starts third to ensure he remains in the title hunt.
Norris will be crowned world champion on Sunday if he outscores Piastri by four points and Verstappen by one.
Follow live coverage of the Qatar Grand Prix with The Independent
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F1 QATAR GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- The Qatar Grand Prix starts on Sunday at 4pm (GMT)
- Oscar Piastri starts on pole position; Norris 2nd; Verstappen 3rd
- Norris will win the title if he wins the grand prix in Qatar
- Click HERE for the full starting grid in Lusail
- PREVIEW: How Max Verstappen clawed back 104-point deficit in F1 title race over just seven races
A reminder of the starting grid with 30 minutes until lights out!
1. Oscar Piastri - McLaren
2. Lando Norris - McLaren
3. Max Verstappen - Red Bull
4. George Russell - Mercedes
5. Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes
6. Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls
7. Carlos Sainz - Williams
8. Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin
9. Pierre Gasly - Alpine
10. Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
11. Nico Hulkenberg - Sauber
12. Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls
13. Ollie Bearman - Haas
14. Alex Albon - Williams
15. Yuki Tsunoda - Red Bull
16. Esteban Ocon - Haas
17. Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari
18. Lance Stroll - Aston Martin
19. Gabriel Bortoleto - Sauber*
Pit lane. Franco Colapinto - Alpine**
*Bortoleto has a five-place grid penalty after crashing into Lance Stroll at the last race in Las Vegas
**Colapinto starts in the pit-lane after making changes to his car after qualifying
Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 15:30Novak Djokovic also present in Qatar
(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 15:24Martin Brundle on race prospects:
“Track position will be key - unless we have some gravel on track and a safety car, it’ll be vital.”
Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 15:20Top-10 - F1 driver standings heading into Qatar GP
1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 396 points
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 374 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 371 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 301 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 226 points
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 152 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 140 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 73 points
9. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 51 points
10. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 49 points
Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 15:16Oscar Piastri, after clinching pole:
“Everything felt great all weekend, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Q3 was really good on the new [tyres], really happy.
On race: “Pretty tough, with 2 stops as well, we’ll be pushing pretty hard, it’ll be a tough race. It’s an insane amount of G-force around here.”
On title - win or bust? “Pretty much. Try to do more of the same from the sprint - we’ll see what we can do.”
(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 15:08Stars in town in Qatar
Gerrard, Beckham, Infantino - football royalty in Lusail!
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 15:02Max Verstappen, after qualifying third:
“This qualifying was a little bit better, still quite far off, felt a little bit happier but still some limitations – at least we’re in P3, starting on second row and it creates better opportunities, it’s hard to pass around here.
“Realistically, it’s a bit tough this weekend – it’s not been what I’ve wanted it to be, but we’ll see tomorrow.
“It’s still not amazing.”
(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 14:56Qatar GP starting grid:
1. Oscar Piastri - McLaren
2. Lando Norris - McLaren
3. Max Verstappen - Red Bull
4. George Russell - Mercedes
5. Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes
6. Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls
7. Carlos Sainz - Williams
8. Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin
9. Pierre Gasly - Alpine
10. Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
11. Nico Hulkenberg - Sauber
12. Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls
13. Ollie Bearman - Haas
14. Alex Albon - Williams
15. Yuki Tsunoda - Red Bull
16. Esteban Ocon - Haas
17. Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari
18. Lance Stroll - Aston Martin
19. Gabriel Bortoleto* - Sauber
20. Franco Colapinto - Alpine
*Bortoleto has a five-place grid penalty after crashing into Lance Stroll at the last race in Las Vegas
Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 14:45NEW: Franco Colapinto starts in the pit-lane
The Alpine driver, who was set to start last anyway, will start in the pit-lane after making changes to his car after qualifying.
Franco Colapinto (Getty Images)Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 14:36F1 constructor standings ahead of Qatar GP
1. McLaren - 770 points (champions)
2. Mercedes - 441 points
3. Red Bull - 400 points
4. Ferrari - 378 points
5. Williams - 122 points
6. Racing Bulls - 90 points
7. Aston Martin - 74 points
8. Haas - 73 points
9. Sauber - 68 points
10. Alpine - 22 points
Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 14:30Newer1 / 7OlderMore about
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