Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Oscar Piastri slashed Lando Norris’s championship lead to just 22 points with a commanding sprint victory at the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix his first time outscoring his teammate since the Dutch GP. The result injects fresh life into the Australian’s title hopes with only two races remaining.
Piastri arrived at Lusail trailing Lando Norris by 24 points. An eight-point haul from the sprint instantly reduced the gap to 22, while Max Verstappen now sits 33 points off the lead. In-depth analysis reveals Lusail’s high-speed, high-grip layout perfectly suits the MCL39, unlike recent venues where execution errors — not raw pace cost Piastri dearly.
Speaking after the sprint, Piastri explained his resurgence: “It’s been a good weekend so far. Everything went smoothly in the sprint there. Happy with how it’s been so far, just need to keep it rolling. It’s obviously a very different circuit to where we have been, much higher speeds, much higher grip. In the last couple of weekends, it’s just been things going wrong rather than being a lack of pace, so to speak. Here, everything has gone smoothly so far, and the pace has been strong. It’s a track I’ve enjoyed in the past, so enjoying it again, clearly.”
On preparations for qualifying, he remained measured: “Slowly, everyone finds a bit more pace through sprint weekends. You’ve got to get every bit out of the car that you can. We’ll try our best to do that, but I think our pace was very strong around here. It’s more tuning than trying to reinvent the wheel.”
The title implications are massive. With 50 points still available (34 in Qatar + 26 in Abu Dhabi), Piastri is firmly back in contention. Should he repeat the sprint dominance in Sunday’s grand prix, the fight will go down to the wire. Against rivals, McLaren under Andrea Stella looks the most complete package at Lusail, while Red Bull and Mercedes continue battling bouncing and tire wear. Current standings: Norris 406, Piastri 384, Verstappen 373.
Piastri’s calm refusal to chase radical changes showcases remarkable maturity in only his second full season. While Norris carries the weight of favouritism, Piastri races free of pressure a dangerous combination. Lusail, where he previously won a sprint and took podiums in 2023 and 2024, has once again become his playground. Another grand prix victory his third of 2025 is firmly within reach on Sunday night.
Piastri has proven that a critical turnaround at the perfect moment can rewrite an entire season narrative. With the MCL39 thriving on high-speed circuits, his championship dream remains very much alive heading to Abu Dhabi. Follow every update at Sportrik.com/en.
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