F1 Update: Piastri finds some form in Qatar, Verstappen “trying to survive” F1 sprint race

Oscar Piastri has secured sprint pole for the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix. The McLaren driver has struggled in low-grip conditions over the past weeks, but seemed to rediscover some of his old form on Friday. It should be noted, however, that the margins were very small. George Russell came close to taking sprint pole, while Lando Norris said he had the pace to do so as well. Both drivers expect that overtaking – and even following other cars – will be difficult in Qatar, which led Russell to suggest extending the DRS zones. Ronald Vording discusses it in a new episode of the F1 Update, which also looks at Red Bull’s day. Max Verstappen struggled with bouncing, but what caused it? And does Yuki Tsunoda’s surprise performance have any influence on Red Bull’s driver decisions for 2026? Finally, another difficult day for Ferrari and the ongoing debate about F1’s racing guidelines are discussed.