Piastri Triumphs in Qatar Sprint

Oscar Piastri clinched victory in an exciting sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix, the penultimate event of the season, helping McLaren to secure maximum points and extend their lead over Ferrari in the tight Constructors' Championship race (623-593). The Australian withstood several challenges from George Russell, who finished third just six days after his win in Las Vegas, and eventually, his teammate let him pass to savour the victory. Carlos Sainz finished fourth, once again outperforming Charles Leclerc, who came in fifth. Fernando Alonso started and finished the race in eleventh place.

Another one-two finish for McLaren. With the drivers' trophy already in the hands of Dutchman Max Verstappen, Norris and Piastri drove freely with a car that best suits the Losail circuit. Sainz kept Ferrari in contention behind a fast Russell, and Leclerc did his part by overtaking Lewis Hamilton, boosting Ferrari's optimism ahead of the race.

The start was favourable for the Spaniards, with Sainz maintaining fourth place and Alonso moving up to tenth, but even better for McLaren, as both their drivers were leading the circuit after the first corner. A slight contact between Piastri and Russell caused concern for both the leading team and Mercedes.

The short and eventful weekend race continued, with Alonso losing tenth place to Kevin Magnussen. However, the main focus was on Ferrari's performance, as Leclerc overtook Hamilton to get even closer to the battle with McLaren. But Russell, Piastri, and Norris were in a league of their own.