McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took a critical win in the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday, dominating the event from pole position and significantly tightening the Formula 1 title fight.
The victory, Piastri’s first since August, cuts his teammate and championship leader Lando Norris’s advantage to just 22 points.
Mercedes’ George Russell finished second, almost five seconds behind the Australian. Norris claimed third place, successfully holding off Red Bull rival Max Verstappen, who finished fourth.
The top three in the championship now stand at:
Norris: 396 points
Piastri: 374 points
Verstappen: 371 points
The drivers will now focus on the main Grand Prix as Norris remains in a position to win his first World Championship in Sunday’s main race.
