Oscar Piastri on sprint pole as Max Verstappen starts third in bid to seal titleBy Philip Duncan, PA F1 Correspondent, LusailMax Verstappen will begin his quest to win the world championship from third for Saturday’s sprint race in Qatar as Oscar Piastri took a surprise pole position. Piastri saw off team-mate Lando Norris as McLaren secured a front-row lockout. And the 26-year-old Dutchman was unable to do enough on his final run to usurp Piastri, finishing two tenths behind the rookie Australian. Sprint qualifying at a windswept Lusail – 18 miles north of Doha – was delayed amid fears over the safety of the tyres. Stroll’s Aston Martin team-mate Fernando Alonso, who also saw his best effort in qualifying chalked off for exceeding track limits, lines up in ninth.

Source: Irish Independent October 08, 2023 06:34 UTC