Formula 1 Starting Grid 2025 Qatar Sprint Race
Event: Qatar F1 Grand Prix
Track: Losail International Circuit
Warm-up lap starts at: 17:00 Local | 15:00 CET | 14:00 UK | 06:00 LA | 23:00 Tokyo
The desert floodlights are blazing, the tyres are scrubbed in, and the stage is set for one of the most important Sprint race of the 2025 Formula 1 season. After a fiercely contested qualifying hour at Lusail, the grid has taken shape in a way that promises tension from the very first meter. At the sharp end, McLaren once again locked horns with themselves as Oscar Piastri edged out team mate Lando Norris and the resurgent George Russell to claim a morale-boosting Sprint pole.
Further back, the narrative becomes even more intriguing. Max Verstappen, frustrated throughout qualifying by a restless RB21, finds himself mired in the pack and in urgent need of damage limitation. Ferrari also endured a bruising evening, with Lewis Hamilton never quite finding a balance he trusted, leaving Charles Leclerc to carry the flag for Maranello. Williams, on the other hand, punched above expectations once more, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon both securing grid spots that could yield real points if the start goes their way.
With tyre wear notoriously unpredictable at Lusail—and team strategies expected to diverge sharply, the 19-lap sprint will be a short, sharp war of nerve, timing and track position. Every overtake, every gust of wind, every millimetre of racing line is likely to matter. Below you’ll find the complete starting grid for the 2025 Qatar Formula 1 Sprint race, setting the stage for what could be a decisive twist in this year’s championship battle.
F1 Starting Grid 2025 Qatar Sprint
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Lap Time | Pole gap |
| 1 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:20,055 | |
| 2 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:20,087 | +0,032s |
| 3 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:20,285 | +0,230s |
| 4 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:20,450 | +0,395s |
| 5 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | 1:20,519 | +0,464s |
| 6 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:20,528 | +0,473s |
| 7 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:20,532 | +0,477s |
| 8 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:20,542 | +0,487s |
| 9 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:20,622 | +0,567s |
| 10 | 23 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:20,788 | +0,733s |
| 11 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:21,433 | +1,378s |
| 12 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:21,494 | +1,439s |
| 13 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1:21,567 | +1,512s |
| 14 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | 1:21,631 | +1,576s |
| 15 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:21,666 | +1,611s |
| 16 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:21,851 | +1,796s |
| PL | 18 | *msr_driver('STRO')] | Aston Martin | 1:21,807 | +1,752s |
| PL | 44 | *Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:22,043 | +1,988s |
| PL | 10 | *Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:22,112 | +2,057s |
| PL | 43 | *Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:22,364 | +2,309s |
*Notes:
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin AMR25 #18), Lewis Hamilton (Ferrar SF-25 #44), Pierre Gasly (Alpine A525 #10 and Franco Colapinto (Alpine A525 #43 - Required to start from the pit lane, due to car modifications during Parc Fermé conditions.
✅ Don't forget to check out our 2025 Qatar Formula 1 Grand Prix Preview.
