Norris secures Qatar GP sprint pole ahead of Russell

Lando Norris claimed pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race, edging out Las Vegas winner George Russell in a thrilling qualifying session.

Norris set the pace with a time of 1:21.012 on his first run in the final session, opting against the preparation lap strategy used by his rivals.

Despite running wide into the gravel on his second attempt, the time proved unbeatable.

Mercedes driver Russell came closest, finishing just 0.063 seconds behind, while McLaren's Oscar Piastri showed early promise but couldn't convert his purple first sector into a front-row start.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz will line up fourth after a complex final run requiring multiple preparation laps.

Newly crowned champion Max Verstappen could only manage sixth place, behind Charles Leclerc's Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton will start seventh, with Pierre Gasly, Nico Hulkenberg, and Liam Lawson completing the top ten.

There was disappointment for Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who was eliminated in the first qualifying session, while Fernando Alonso missed out on the final shootout by a narrow margin.

Williams' Alex Albon showed competitive pace but couldn't capitalize on it, finishing just outside the top ten.