It's a championship-defining Saturday in Qatar, with a vital qualifying session for Sunday's Grand Prix taking place. Follow GPblog's live blog of the session right here!

F1 LIVE | Qualifying for the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix

Piastri with the advantage

Oscar Piastri rediscovered his pace and took P1 in a qualifying session for the first time since the Dutch Grand Prix, taking the early advantage over Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

24 points separate Norris from the two championship chasers, but the Brit will have to start the sprint race from P3, while Verstappen lost significant ground after the four-time world champion could only qualify P6.

George Russell sits between the two McLarens in second place, as teams and drivers will be forced to watch out for tyre trouble at the Losail International Circuit after cuts and lacerations were found in Pirelli's tyres after Friday's proceedings.

Oscar Piastri with Pirelli's Mario Isola after sprint qualifying at the Qatar GP - Photo: Race Pictures

As things stand in the F1 drivers' standings

With just two race weekends remaining in the 2025 season, Norris sits at the top of the standings by 24 points ahead of Piastri and Verstappen.

If the Brit outscores both his teammate and the Dutchman at the end of the weekend in Qatar, then a maiden world championship will be his.

However, he will have plenty of work to do as he starts behind Piastri in saturday's sprint race before a mammoth qualifying session takes place later in the day.

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