Lando Norris Takes Sprint Pole In Qatar GP, Advantage McLaren In F1 Constructors Battle

Lando Norris lifted the spirits of his title-chasing McLaren team on Friday when he powered to pole position ahead of Mercedes' George Russell in qualifying for Saturday's sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix. After a disappointing outing in Las Vegas, where his drivers' title hopes ended as Max Verstappen clinched his fourth championship with Red Bull, the British driver was back on top form under the lights at the Lusail International Circuit. Norris clocked a best time in one minute and 21.012 seconds to outpace Russell, the winner in Nevada, by just 0.063 seconds at the end of a closely-fought session. Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren was third.

"It's tough," said Norris of his laps and the speed of the track.

"It is so quick around here. It feels like the quickest of the year and in the final sector you feel like you are just hanging on.

"I want to win and I want to win every session as a driver. Our target tomorrow is a one-two so we maximise the points for our constructors' but we know Mercedes and Ferrari will be quick."

The Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc qualified fourth and fifth ahead of Verstappen and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes, an outcome that was not enough to buoy hopes that the Italian team can stop McLaren claiming their first constructors' title in 26 years.

Pierre Gasly took an impressive eighth for Alpine ahead of Nico Hulkenberg of Haas and RB's Liam Lawson.

McLaren hold a 24 points lead in the teams' title race with 608 to Ferrari on 584.

With two Grands Prix remaining, including one sprint, McLaren can clinch the title with a dominant weekend ahead of Ferrari in both the sprint and Sunday's Grand Prix.

In cooling conditions with temperatures of 19