2025 F1 Qatar GP Qualifying LIVE: Lando Norris goes for fourth straight pole

A big reset ahead for Ferrari after a torrid Sprint Race that saw both Leclerc and Hamilton well outside the top ten.

Leclerc's race was undone by a lap one wide moment, but then hampered further by a couple of offs onto the gravely kerbs.

Hamilton, meanwhile, always faced an uphill task from the pit-lane but didn't show strong pace at any stage anyway.

Ferrari have a habit of bouncing back for qualifying, but they have a big margin to make up on the competition

Qualifying is always important, but here in Qatar it is particularly crucial.

As the Sprint Race showed, the fast corners and ragged edge exits make it very difficult for the cars to get close to each other to attempt a pass, while there is just a single DRS zone available down the  home straight.

It makes overtaking very difficult, as demonstrated by the pockets of space between the cars forming soon after the start earlier on.

This could be good news for Norris if he can make improvements to his McLaren to challenge for pole, but based on the form so far this weekend, Piastri has the edge.

It means Norris is in a good position to potentially wrap up the 2025 F1 title with a round to spare tomorrow, provided he can ensure he leaves Qatar with at least 26 points in hand over Piastri and Verstappen.

It means he needs to beat Piastri on the road by three points and Verstappen by one point.

But as the Sprint Race showed, it is Piastri who appears to be the one to beat coming into the remainder of the weekend

Oscar Piastri returned to winning ways just a few hours earlier with a lights-to-flag victory in the Qatar GP Sprint Race.

With Lando Norris third and Max Verstappen fourth, the title battle evolves once more.

Norris now leads Piastri by 22 points, while Verstappen is 25 points shy of the top spot