As it happened: 2024 Qatar Grand Prix sprint race

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The sprint race at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix is coming up next.

We’re 10 minutes away from the start of the first of this weekend’s F1 races. Lando Norris is on pole position with George Russell alongside him. At a fan session earlier today Russell noted Norris’s record of keeping the lead from pole position this year is poor. He only managed to do it in Singapore, and in Brazil two rounds ago Russell passed him for the lead at the start, which he will no doubt be eager to repeat.

McLaren will be eager to avoid any dramas and keep their positions ahead of both Ferraris, which will increase their chances of clinching the constructors’ championship this weekend.

With Sergio Perez dropping out in the first round of qualifying and starting from the pits, there’s a good chance one of the midfield teams could pick up a point in this race. Pierre Gasly starts eighth for Alpine and has drivers from five different teams immediately behind him.

All drivers are starting on the medium tyre compound apart from Zhou Guanyu on softs, Perez’s race engineer tells him.

The drivers are off on their formation lap. Russell conspicuously passes Norris on the way down to the first corner, as if marking his card, then Norris moves backs to the front of the queue.

The Qatar sprint race is go! Norris leads into turn one, Piastri claims second place from Russell at turn two.

An unusually poor start for Max Verstappen who has fallen out of the points after running through the gravel at turn four.

Lawson: “I’ve no grip.” He had a shocking start, dropping seven places to 17th. Russell has a look at the inside of Piastri as lap three begins.

Perez started ahead of Colapinto but has fallen behind the Williams to last place.

L4 Russell has a big look down the inside of Piastri, sends up a shower of sparks, but the McLaren driver toughs it out around the outside. “He fucking turned into me, in the corner,” complains the Mercedes driver.

Colapinto overtook Perez after they accelerated out of the pits together at the start of the race.

L6 It looks like Norris is now helping Piastri by dropping back to give him the benefit of DRS. One-and-a-half seconds cover the top three.

L7 The gap between the leaders compresses to less than half a second at the line as Norris’s rivals close on him with DRS. “I’m trying to give Oscar DRS every lap,” he says.

L8 Verstappen passes Gasly with no difficulty in the DRS zone, taking the final point off the Alpine driver.

L9 Russell takes another look at Piastri, to no avail. Verstappen sets the fastest lap and takes half a second off Hulkenberg in seventh place ahead of him.

L13 Leclerc cruises up to the back of Hamilton with DRS, gets alongside him, they go through two corners side by side and the Ferrari driver claims the place from his future team mate.

L14 Piastri makes a late move to defend as Russell closes in on him at turn one again.

Russell: “Fuck me that was late. Twice now.”

L19 Piastri doesn’t have DRS on this lap but Russell isn’t able to get him at turn one. It’s the last lap.

Norris hands the win to Piastri at the line! He was told the team were happy to finish in that order but he lets his team mate through as Piastri did in Brazil. Russell third.

Piastri: “Thank you for the team work. Much appreciated.”

A surprising end to the sprint race – here’s our report on the race.

2024 Qatar Grand Prix

• Horner ‘believes 100%’ Verstappen did not threaten to crash into Russell
• Russell and Verstappen cast new light on clash which triggered explosive row
• Hamilton’s puncture not caused by mirror debris – Mercedes
• Another start-to-finish win shows Qatar GP could be F1’s most processional race
• “Am I dead last now?” Unheard radio from Hamilton’s disastrous Qatar GP