#F1 #QatarGP #FP1: @OscarPiastri pips team-mate @LandoNorris by 0.058s.

Piastri Qatar GP FP1 – Oscar Piastri pipped fellow championship contender and team-mate Lando Norris to lead a McLaren one-two in the sole practice session at the Qatar GP as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso completed the top three. Other title contender Max Verstappen was sixth overall for Red Bull.

Piastri posted the session-topping benchmark of a 1:20.924 on the C3 red side-walled softer compounds and was a slim 0.058 seconds clear of team-mate Norris whilst Alonso was a further 0.386 seconds adrift of the Australian in third.

Mercedes’ George Russell lead the pack out on a set of the C1 white-branded harder compounds.

Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg jumped the Silver Arrow and was the first to register the benchmark of a 1:26.523 as Russell slotted into third with his 1:34.744.

Verstappen moved to P1 setting a 1:25.047 as his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda placed his RB21 entry second with a 1:25.867 to pip Haas’s Oliver Bearman.

Russell took top spot setting a 1:24.790 as Hadjar was 0.540 off and went into third as Piastri put his McLaren fourth in the order with his 1:25.348.

Williams’ Carlos Sainz shot to the head of the times with a 1:24.433 to go 0.357 seconds clear of Russell as Leclerc moved into P2 with his 1:24.609 effort.

Hulkenberg went quickest on his next flying tour posting a 1:24.225 to go 0.208 seconds in-front of Sainz.

Verstappen returned to the top of the time-sheets with his 1:23.343 hot-lap as his team-mate Tsunoda was 0.590 seconds off the Dutchman to take second.

Then Russell moved up into second with his 1:23.724 but only briefly as Piastri jumped to second with his 1:23.531 effort and was 0.188 off Verstappen’s benchmark at the ninth minute mark.

Sainz then went only 0.050 seconds off Verstappen putting his FW47 entry into second with his 1:23.393 flyer.

Ferrari’s Sir Lewis Hamilton with three personal bests went fifth in the order setting a 1:23.885 but then RB’s Hadjar split Piastri and Russell in fifth with his 1:23.713 effort.

Piastri was next on his flying lap, and two purples saw the Australian take P1 posting a 1:23.039 but only momentarily as Russell returned to the top setting a1:22.962 to end up a slim 0.077 seconds clear of the McLaren driver.

Sainz then split Russell and Piastri moving up to second overall to end up 0.032 seconds off Russell’s best effort as the Spaniard posted a 1:22.994.

Hadjar with three personal bests to go fourth overall setting a 1:23.116 to wound up 0.154 seconds off Russell’s time on his ninth lap on the harder tyre.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc improved to sixth in the order posting a 1:23.172 to end up 0.210 seconds off Russell’s best time.

Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli was next with three personal bests ousting his team-mate Russell at the top setting a 1:22.769.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso then briefly claimed top spot of the Italian posting a 1:22.588 but only briefly as Verstappen reclaimed top spot with his 1:22.372.

Hadjar then slotted into second posting a 1:22.532 but then Russell snatched P1 back with his 1:22.165 to be 0.207 seconds clear of Verstappen at the 19^th-minute mark of the proceedings on his ninth tour with his harder tyres.

The majority of the field began returning to the pits to adjust their setups and refuel before returning to the track.

Sainz put his Williams fifth in the classification with a 1:22.629 but his team-mate Alexander Albon replaces the Spaniard in the same spot posting a 1:22.622 and setting the best middle sector.

Replays showed championship leader Norris suffering a snap of oversteer at turn ten as Leclerc also went off at turn four.

Replay footage also showed Norris also ran right into the gravel at turn six dipping his left wheels into the trap after running wide.

Hulkenberg on his next hot-lap with three personal bests could only managed 14^th with a 1:23.265 to end up 1.100 seconds off Russell’s benchmark.

Norris was next posting a 1:22.909 with three personal bests to only go 11^th in the order and 0.744 seconds off Russell’s best time.

Piastri went into ninth despite having a moment and was 0.685 seconds off Russell’s best effort just before the halfway point of proceedings.

Norris was on another hot-lap with three personal bests improved to fourth setting a 1:22.544 to end up 0.379 seconds off Russell’s benchmark with 28 minutes remaining.

Replays also showed Hamilton the latest driver to run wide jumping across the gravel.

All drivers bar Sainz and Bearman were continuing their long race run data gathering programmes at this point of the only practice session before Sprint Qualifying coming up.

“Shifts have gone to *****,” said Verstappen, who had already complained about his steering and his tyres. That Red Bull is not entirely happy just yet, but it was quite windy on the Lusail International Circuit which was being a challenge amongst the 20 drivers.

He remained second, 0.207 seconds behind Russell and completed 20 laps on his harder tyre.

Championship contender Verstappen also reported: “This clipping out of Turn 6 is a disaster, just no pace out of the corner!”

Most of the pack with 20 minutes remaining returned to the pits for another setup adjustment as some continued their longer runs (Antonelli, Hamilton, Leclerc, and Hulkenberg.

Bearman was the first to come out on the C3 red-marked softer compound with less than a quarter of the session left. Hadjar, Lawson, Hamilton, Stroll and Ocon also emerged on the C3’s.

Ocon put his VF-25 ninth as his team-mate Bearman went third overall setting a 1:22.394 to be 0.575 seconds off Hadjar’s best time as the Frenchman went fastest with a 1:21.819.

Hadjar’s team-mate Lawson ended up 0.743 seconds off team-mate Hadjar to wound up sixth.

Stroll with three personal bests shot up to second setting a 1:22.005 as Sainz took top spot with a 1:21.677 but only momentarily as Alonso went quickest on a 1:21.562.

Albon with three personal bests went quickest posting a 1:21.609 to end up only 0.047 seconds off Alonso.

Championship leader Norris then snatched the P1 slot setting a 1:20.982 as fellow title contender and team-mate Piastri moved to second to end up 0.369 seconds adrift.

Verstappen slotted into third behind Piastri and 0.522 seconds off Norris’s best time as the trio championship contenders covered the top three.

Hulkenberg with three personal bests put his C45 Sauber seventh and 0.801 on his flyer as replays showed Leclerc have another moment off track.

Hadjar with two personal bests improved to third in the order and ended up third and 0.579 seconds off Piastri who went fastest posting a 1:20.924 to end up 0.058 seconds clear of team-mate Norris.

Alonso with only a personal best sector three went up into third and 0.386 seconds off Piastri as Sainz despite a best sector two time could only manage fourth and was 0.480 seconds adrift of Piastri’s time.

Replays showed Alpine’s Gasly suffer a moment out of turn 15 running wide into the gravel as championship leader Norris had an off-track excursion out of the final corner running across the gravel.

Leclerc was next putting his Ferrari eighth setting a 1:21.668 as Antonelli slotted behind him in ninth and posted a 1:21.698.

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll then split Leclerc and Antonelli taking ninth with his 1:21.669 effort.

The session ended with Piastri on top with Norris second as Alonso rounded out the top three.

Sainz was fourth overall and in-front of Hadjar who placed fifth and championship contender Verstappen wounded up sixth.

Albon ended FP1 seventh and ahead of Leclerc who took eighth whilst Stroll and Antonelli completed the top ten.

You can see the full Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2025 Free Practice 1 Results Classification at the link: FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS QATAR GRAND PRIX 2025 – PRACTICE 1

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