Piastri Races to Pace-Setting Prime in Losail as McLaren Domination Sets Stage for Championship Showdown

Piastri tops Free Practice in Losail, McLaren Sets the Pace

Oscar Piastri, the Australian driver for McLaren, regained form to lead the only free practice session for the Qatar Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the Formula 1 World Championship, on Friday night in Doha. He finished ahead of his British teammate Lando Norris, the title favourite, as McLaren asserted pace at the start of the weekend.

On the Losail track about 30 kilometers from Doha, Piastri’s lap of 1:20.924 put him just ahead of Norris’s 1:20.982, confirming a clear McLaren advantage as the session opened.

The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso finished third, about four tenths behind the leader, underscoring a strong start for the Silverstone-based squad.

Dutchman Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s main title contender, managed sixth, while French driver Ishak Hajjar (Rising Bulls) surprised many by taking fifth in a session deemed largely non-competitive for the main title fight.

Norris remains the World Championship leader by 24 points over Verstappen and Piastri, who are tied on points. With 33 points available in the sprint weekend, the standings could swing significantly before the main race.

The drivers will have a single free practice session on Friday, followed by sprint qualifying that will determine the starting grid for Saturday, with the main qualifying topping off the weekend on Sunday.

Results of the Free Practice: Oscar Piastri (Australia/McLaren) 1:20.924 — (29 laps)

Lando Norris (Britain/McLaren) 1:20.982 — (28)

Fernando Alonso (Spain/Aston Martin) 1:21.310 — (26)

Carlos Sainz (Spain/Williams) 1:21.404 — (20)

Ishaq Hajjar (France/Rising Bulls) 1:21.503 — (30)

Max Verstappen (Netherlands/Red Bull) 1:21.504 — (27)

Alexander Albon (Thailand/Williams) 1:21.609 — (29)

Charles Leclerc (Monaco/Ferrari) 1:21.668 — (31)

Lance Stroll (Canada/Aston Martin) 1:21.669 — (26)

Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Italy/Mercedes) 1:21.698 — (32)

Niko Hülkenberg (Germany/Sauber) 1:21.783 — (23)

Lewis Hamilton (Britain/Ferrari) 1:21.794 — (28)

Yuki Tsunoda (Japan/Red Bull) 1:21.796 — (28)

George Russell (Britain/Mercedes) 1:21.824 — (33)

Oliver Bearman (Britain/Haas) 1:21.926 — (26)

Gabriel Portolito (Brazil/Sauber) 1:21.926 — (29)

Esteban Ocon (France/Haas) 1:22.096 — (30)

Pierre Gasly (France/Alpine) 1:22.424 — (25)

Liam Lawson (New Zealand/RB) 1:22.562 — (30)

Franco Colapinto (Argentina/Alpine) 1:23.529 — (26)

Note: Times and teams are subject to change ahead of qualifying and the sprint race.

Two punchlines for the road: If the title were a joke, Norris would be the straight man—Piastri just delivered the punchline with a 1:20.924. And in Losail, McLaren didn’t just drive fast; they invented a new sport: sprinting to glory before the main event. And yes, the trophy already filed a complaint for being stolen by a faster lap.