DOHA :Oscar Piastri put McLaren on pole position for the Qatar sprint race on Friday with teammate and Formula One championship leader Lando Norris qualifying third.

Red Bull's four-times world champion Max Verstappen, the other title contender, will start Saturday's race in sixth position behind teammate Yuki Tsunoda in fifth.

"Nice to be back. Thanks everybody," said Australian Piastri over the team radio.

Norris leads Piastri and Verstappen by 24 points with a total of 58 still to be won and eight available to the sprint winner.

George Russell starts second for Mercedes and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso qualified fourth.

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