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McLaren’s Lando Norris took rod presumption for the sprint contention astatine the Qatar Grand Prix up of Mercedes operator George Russell.
Norris pipped Russell by conscionable 0.063 seconds, with the 2nd McLaren of Oscar Piastri successful 3rd place.
Ferrari, who are competing with McLaren for the constructors’ championship, were 4th and fifth, Carlos Sainz 0.027secs faster than Charles Leclerc.
Newly crowned satellite champion Max Verstappen was lone sixth, up of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
Norris said: “It’s pugnacious due to the fact that it’s truthful speedy astir here, it feels similar the quickest circuit of the year, the last assemblage feels similar you’re conscionable hanging on.
“Great qualifying, particularly to bounce backmost aft wherever we were successful Vegas past weekend.”
Norris’ hopes of beating Verstappen to the drivers’ rubric were yet extinguished successful Las Vegas connected a disappointing play for McLaren.
But they caput into the last 2 races of the play 25 points up of of Ferrari successful the constructors’ championship.
McLaren tin triumph the rubric the play - but lone if they people the maximum points possible. That would necessitate a one-two successful Saturday’s sprint, which starts astatine 14:00 UK time, to commencement the weekend.
“Our people is simply a one-two,” Norris said, "and maximise points for the constructors’ but not expecting an casual one.”
Russell’s beardown signifier from Las Vegas, wherever helium took his 2nd triumph of the play with a ascendant performance, continued connected to a precise antithetic way successful a precise antithetic desert.
And Ferrari’s interest that McLaren mightiness beryllium excessively beardown for them successful Qatar appeared to beryllium coming existent - Sainz was 0.269secs disconnected the gait acceptable by Norris.
Verstappen, whose lone triumph since June came successful the bedewed successful Brazil earlier this month, was 0.303secs disconnected the pace.
And Hamilton’s qualifying struggles continued - helium was 0.399secs slower than Russell.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Haas operator Nico Hülkenberg and RB’s Liam Lawson completed the apical 10.
The 2nd Red Bull operator Sergio Perez was knocked retired successful the archetypal league and volition commencement 16th. The Mexican, who has been knocked retired successful Q1 six times this year, blamed a combat implicit way presumption with Leclerc for his failure.
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