George Russell set the pace in Q1 at the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix, clocking a blistering 1:20.074 to lead the session, while Lewis Hamilton suffered yet another early qualifying exit in a dramatic opening segment.
Fresh off a dominant Sprint victory earlier in the day, Oscar Piastri continued his strong form by finishing third behind McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Piastri, who now trails Norris by just 22 points in the championship fight, looks poised to gain more ground if he maintains his momentum through the session.
Max Verstappen, who struggled in the Sprint and sits 25 points behind Norris, managed only P4 as Red Bull continues to chase pace under the lights of Lusail.
There was disappointment for several big names as Hamilton, Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Yuki Tsunoda, and Franco Colapinto were all eliminated in Q1. Hamilton’s form slump continued with the Ferrari driver finishing a distant P18, +0.833 off Russell’s benchmark.
Top 5 — Q1 Classification:
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George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:20.074
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Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.083
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Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.160
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Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.398
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Carlos Sainz (Williams) +0.446
With tyre stint limits expected to define race strategy and overtaking tricky around Lusail, qualifying positions will be crucial. Piastri, Norris and Russell look strong, while Verstappen faces pressure to revive his title hopes.
More updates coming as Q2 begins.
