McLaren Dominate Sole Practice Under the Lights

In a crucial start to a sprint weekend at the Lusail International Circuit, Piastri’s late soft‑tyre run of 1:20.924 edged Norris by 0.058s, underlining McLaren’s strong one‑lap form just hours before Sprint Qualifying. Fernando Alonso completed the top three for Aston Martin.

Verstappen Half a Second Off

Championship contender Max Verstappen could only manage sixth place, 0.580s slower than Piastri and behind rookie Isack Hadjar. The Red Bull driver reported issues with the car’s behaviour, complaining over team radio about the car “jumping” and an unusual steering feel.

« Verstappen has previously thrived at Lusail, but this early session indicated McLaren currently hold the upper hand on soft tyres. »

How the Session Unfolded

Most teams spent the first 45 minutes on hard tyres gathering long‑run data. When the field moved onto the red‑walled rubber, the MCL39 came alive. Norris first went fastest with a 1:20.982, before Piastri improved to his session‑topping time.

Norris appeared on course to improve again but abandoned his second flyer after encountering traffic late in the lap, leaving Piastri to carry the psychological edge from practice into the rest of the weekend despite Norris’ 24‑point championship lead.

Title Implications

Norris arrives in Qatar 24 points ahead of both Piastri and Verstappen. McLaren’s FP1 lockout reinforces their status as favourites over a single lap. By contrast, Verstappen’s handling complaints underline the work Red Bull must do if they are to convert their strong history at Lusail into a renewed title push across the final two rounds.