Lando Norris lifted the spirits of his title-chasing McLaren team on Friday when he powered to pole position ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell in qualifying for Saturday’s sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix.

McLaren's Lando Norris took pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix sprint on Friday with Mercedes' George Russell denying the Formula One leaders a front row lockout by pushing Oscar Piastri down to third.

Lando Norris bounced back from his F1 championship defeat to secure pole position for Saturday’s sprint race in Qatar. The British driver, mocked by Max Verstappen for failing to win the title in a McLaren deemed superior to the rest of the field,

Qatar's long-term investment in the future Audi Formula One team, announced at the country's grand prix on Friday, brings obvious benefits for both and increases the Gulf region's influence in the sport.

Audi has sold a stake in its Formula One team to Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund ahead of the German manufacturer’s entry to the sport in 2026. Audi announced on Friday ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix that the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) had acquired a “significant minority stake” in the team,

A statement from the German car company said the Gulf state would buy a “significant minority” in the team, which is entering F1 in 2026. The deal will be completed next year, after Audi has taken full ownership of the Sauber team that is the basis for its entry.