Piastri wins Qatar GP sprint again as Norris pays back in McLaren one-two

Doha: McLaren s Oscar Piastri won the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix sprint last year with a stellar performance and the Australian sensation followed it...

Doha: McLaren’s Oscar Piastri won the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix sprint last year with a stellar performance and the Australian sensation followed it up with a second consecutive triumph at the Lusail International Circuit yesterday. This time, his victory owed to the selfless teamwork of his teammate Lando Norris.

The McLaren duo dominated the sprint but it was Norris who led from the pole with precision until he gifted the 0.136 seconds victory to Piastri after slowing down in the final corner of the 19-lap race. It was a payback for Piastri’s similar act during the Sao Paulo sprint to boost the Briton’s drivers’ title bid.

For McLaren, the result was a crucial one-two finish earning the team 15 points. The result puts McLaren 34 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors’ standings, with today’s Qatar Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi season finale still to come. McLaren had won their last constructors’ championship in 1998. 

“It was about defence for the whole race to be honest,” said Piastri after winning the sprint.

“I had a good start and a good Turn 1 obviously and then just didn’t quite have the pace. I think I killed the front a little bit early on and then I was struggling a bit for the rest of the Sprint.