### Lando Norris Clinches Pole Position for Qatar Sprint Race

McLaren's Lando Norris has secured pole position for Saturday's sprint race in Qatar, outpacing George Russell in the Friday sprint qualifying session. Though Norris' championship aspirations dwindled with the last race in Las Vegas, McLaren remains a strong contender for the constructors' championship, currently leading Ferrari by 24 points. The sprint race offers crucial points for the top eight finishers, with the winner earning eight points.

Norris showcased a stellar performance in the qualifying rounds, edging out Las Vegas Grand Prix victor Russell by just 0.063 seconds. Teammate Oscar Piastri will start third, reinforcing McLaren's strategic position. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc secured the fourth and fifth places, respectively, while newly crowned world champion Max Verstappen from Red Bull will start sixth.

"We aim to dominate," Norris stated about the 19-lap race. "We want to clinch a 1-2 finish to maximize points for the constructors' championship. It’ll be a tough battle with Mercedes and Ferrari, but it promises to be an exciting race."

Russell admitted to losing some time in the high-speed corners when an error with his Mercedes' energy recovery system occurred on his final lap. Despite this, he conceded Norris was slightly out of reach.

Veteran driver Lewis Hamilton, in his last sprint race for Mercedes before moving to Ferrari next season, will start seventh ahead of Alpine's Pierre Gasly. Haas' Nico Hülkenberg and Red Bull's Liam Lawson complete the top ten starting positions.

Fernando Alonso narrowly missed entering SQ3 by 0.040 seconds and will start from 11th place. Williams' Alex Albon emerged 12th fastest, followed by Sauber's Valtteri Bottas, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, and Haas' Kevin Magnussen.

Meanwhile, Sergio Pérez continued to struggle in qualifying, missing SQ2 by 0.013 seconds after a disrupted lap involving a bout with Leclerc's Ferrari. "We had an issue with one of the anti-roll bars," Pérez explained. "Fighting with Charles in the final lap cost me a couple of tenths, enough to knock us out."

RB's Yuki Tsunoda will start from 17th position, and behind him will be Alpine's Esteban Ocon, Sauber's Zhou Guanyu, and Williams' Franco Colapinto. The sprint race in Qatar is set to provide an intense spectacle as the drivers compete for crucial championship points.