Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

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Oscar Piastri pipped McLaren team-mate and title rival Lando Norris to pole position for the potentially title-deciding Qatar Grand Prix.

The Australian beat Norris by 0.108 seconds after Norris, who had been fastest on their first runs by 0.035secs, aborted his final lap.

That gave Piastri the chance to put himself in a great position to win the race and take the title battle to a final-race decider in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, the other title contender, will start third, also a threat to Norris. The Dutchman has to finish ahead of Norris to keep his chances alive.

Norris will become champion on Sunday if he wins the race, or beats Piastri and Verstappen, but he blinked first as the tensions rose in one of the most crucial qualifying sessions of the weekend.

Read the full report here

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Saturday belongs to Oscar Piastri but McLaren team-mate Lando Norris has a date with title destiny on Sunday.

If the Briton can overtake polesitter Piastri and claim victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, he'll be crowned world champion for the first time.

If Australian Piastri triumphs and Norris finishes second, we're going down to the wire at the finale in Abu Dhabi next weekend with leader Norris holding a 15-point advantage over Piastri with 25 points left to play for.

Thanks for your company today, folks. We'll get up and running at 15:00 GMT tomorrow to build up to lights out at 16:00.

See you on Sunday for (hopefully) a great title fight!

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In case you missed it this week, drivers will need to make at least two pit-stops at the Qatar Grand Prix tomorrow.

The mandatory two-stop has been imposed after tyre suppliers Pirelli held talks with the teams and governing body FIA regarding driver safety.

Tyres have been restricted to a maximum length of 25 laps of the Lusail International Circuit.

As the race is 57 laps, it means that the first pit-stop must be made, either on or before the 25th lap.

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Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who will start third for the Qatar Grand Prix: "I think this qualifying was a little bit better even though we were still quite far off.

"At least I felt a little bit happier but still some limitations that don't allow us to push harder around a lap. At least we are P3 and starting on the second row, it creates better opportunities because we know it's quite hard to pass around here.

"We will see what we can do tomorrow but realistically it's a bit tough this weekend. It has not been what I wanted it to be so far but we will see what we can do tomorrow."

On issues with the car: "It's still not amazing."

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McLaren's Lando Norris, who will start the Qatar Grand Prix in second: "I don't know, I just got a bit of understeer and was going to go off so I had to abort. Which was a shame, but it's the way that it is.

"Oscar did a good lap and drove very well and has been driving well all weekend. Nothing to complain about, just didn't do the lap, and still P2 for tomorrow."

On whether it will be a race between the McLarens or will Max Verstappen be a threat from third: "You never know. The first couple of laps are always opportunities for everyone but after there I think it's probably going to be pretty straightforward for everyone too.

On whether he has thought about how to attack on lap one: "Not yet, no. We just had qualifying. Tonight, we will review somethings and then see if I can do better than I did this morning. But otherwise, I think we are in good position. The car has been feeling good, I was much happier today than yesterday so progress but it is a long race tomorrow."

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McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who will start on pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix: "We left the car pretty much the same, very very minor tweaks here and there but everything felt great all weekend, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. It was really good and the team did a great job.

"I had a little bit of question mark on which tyres we wanted to use because I did a quick lap on a used set in Q2 and that through a little bit of a spanner in the works.

"We didn't expect it to be so good, but Q3 was really good on the new so very happy."

On the race: "It will be pretty tough, with the two-stops we're going to be pushing pretty hard the whole time. I don't think it's going to be as hot as a couple of years ago, so hopefully it's not as bad as that."

"I'm expecting it to be a pretty tough race, you're pulling an insane amount of G-force around here and multiple times a lap. It's hard work but incredible fun."

On the championship: "I will try my best, starting from the best spot so I will try and do some more of what I did today in the sprint and see what we can do."

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Make sure you're here for lights out at 16:00 GMT tomorrow, because we should be in for a cracker of a race start between Oscar Piastri on pole and Lando Norris alongside him on the front row in second. And don't forget Max Verstappen, who needs to beat Norris on Sunday to keep his title hopes alive, in third.

If Norris can jump his team-mate and win the Qatar Grand Prix, he'll head to Abi Dhabi next week as a Formula 1 world champion.

Norris: "Just first? Second? Third? Where am I?"

Engineer: "Don't know yet."

Norris: "Alright..."

11. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)

12. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

13. Oliver Bearman (Haas)

14. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

15. Alex Albon (Williams)

16. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)

17. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

18. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

19. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Lando Norris did so well in the early part of the session to set a lap that broke the lap record and we said it would take something spectacular to beat that.

That is exactly what we got from Oscar Piastri, the lap record shattered again. This keeps this fight alive.

1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 1:19.387

2. Lando Norris (McLaren)

3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

6. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

7. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

10. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

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"Let's go baby. Good session everyone. That was mega. Thanks everyone"

Max Verstappen can only go P3! So the McLarens will start on the front row together!

Oscar Piastri takes advantage of Lando Norris' out lap nightmare ans takes provisional pole away from the championship leader!

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Max Verstappen is purple in the first sector but Lando Norris is in trouble and he's heading into the pits!

Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

The McLaren drivers have maximised everything, I can't see anything other than a McLaren being on pole here.

The margin is so tight between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri - 0.035 seconds - this qualifying could go either way. Norris has provisional pole but he's understeered in Turn Two and has backed off and will go again.

Jennie Gow
F1 pit-lane reporter at Lusail Circuit

I was with Lando Norris' parents at the start of this session and you can feel their nervous energy.