Qatar Grand Prix: Piastri Leads Mclaren One-Two To Edge Closer To Constructors' Title

McLaren edged closer to a first constructors' championship since 1998 as Lando Norris handed Oscar Piastri victory in a one-two finish in the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race. (More Motorsport News)

Norris started proceedings on pole and stayed there for the duration of the race🦩, with Piastri squeezing past Mercedes' George Russell on the opening lap. 

Russell made an assault on second place at the start of lap four, lunging down the inside of Piastri, but he had no plans ൲to give up the position.

And the Australian, who won the sprint race at the Lusail International Circuit last season, took the lead wiཧth the finish l🍌ine in sight after some unselfish driving from his team-mate.

Piastri had previously handed Norris a win in the Sao Paulo sprint with the Briton still in pursuit o🍸f Max Verstappen and was happy to return the favour in Qatar. 

"It was about defence for the whole race to be honest.ꦍ I had a good start and a good Turn One, but I didn't quite have the pace. I killed the front a little bit early on," Piastri said.  

"I was struggling a bit for the rest of the sprint, but there was some great teamwork and without that help, it would hav🌠e been much more difficult. It's nice to have McLaren one-two."

Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charlꦛes Leclerc finished in fourth and fif🧜th, while Russell's team-mate Lewis Hamilton moved up one place from qualifying to end in sixth. 

The Haas of Nico Hulkenberg sl🥀otted in seventh, while new world champion Verstappen c⛎ould only manage eighth place, picking up the final points in the sprint. 

Pierre Gasly and Kevin Magnussen rounded out the top 10, while it was ano𝕴ther disappointing day for Sergio Perez, who finished bottom of the pile after starting from the pit lane.