Piastri Qatar sprint hat-trick boosts F1 title hopes

Ian Chadband | November 30, 2025

Oscar Piastri has kept his F1 drivers’ title hopes flickering with an imperious pole-to-chequered-flag triumph in the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race.

The Australian won the 19-lap race around the Lusail circuit for the third year running with all his old calm and efficiency on Saturday, a consummate return to form in his McLaren after six weekends in which he failed to make a podium.

His first victory in any race since the Dutch GP at the end of August meant he scored a maximum eight points, gaining two crucial points on teammate Lando Norris, the championship leader, who could only finish third behind George Russell’s Mercedes.

Going into Saturday’s qualifying for the main race, Piastri has now cut his deficit to Norris from 24 points to 22.

He’s also moved three points clear of Max Verstappen in second place overall after Red Bull’s champion, level on points with Piastri going into the race, could only finish fourth, rising two places from his grid start.

“It’s been a good weekend so far. Everything went smoothly in the sprint there, so I’m happy with how it’s been so far and just need to keep it rolling,” said Piastri, after receiving the winner’s trophy from tennis great Novak Djokovic.

“The pace has been strong, it’s a track I’ve enjoyed in the past, and I’m enjoying it again, clearly.”

Piastri was always in control after getting off to a fine start, racing away from Russell, who was briefly challenged for second by Norris. 

The championship leader himself had to hold off a brief challenge from the Red Bull pair of Yuki Tsunoda and Verstappen before the fare became processional.

Piastri looked back to his early-season best which earned him seven Grand Prix wins as he found pace that no-one else could match, ending up nearly five seconds clear of Russell.

Norris, in second place, was 6.279 seconds behind the winner, with an increasingly confident-sounding Piastri telling his team over the radio: “Let’s keep it going.”

With 25 points for a victory and 18 for second, Norris can still clinch the title on Sunday if he triumphs, but Piastri will hope the momentum is finally with him again after topping every session so far – practice, sprint qualifying and the sprint itself.

“A mistake could cost me,” he said, looking forward to the potential pitfalls of qualifying. 

“I made a pretty big mistake yesterday (in sprint qualifying) so nothing’s guaranteed at all. Just because it’s gone well so far doesn’t mean it’s going to continue that way, but everything’s been smooth so far which has been nice.”

But McLaren principal Andrea Stella was delighted at the team’s response after their double disqualification at the Las Vegas Grand Prix for a technical infringement regarding the cars’ skid blocks.

“It was a strong reaction,” Stella said. “I’m very proud. Our culture was tested by a hard situation. We emerged even stronger and aware that we have more work to do to not face those situations.”

It was another miserable day for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc slipping to 13th and Lewis Hamilton coming home 18th after starting from the pit lane.