McLaren's Oscar Piastri took pole position ahead of teammate Lando Norris for what could be a title-deciding sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix on Saturday, with Red Bull's champion-in-waiting Max Verstappen third on the grid.
Verstappen need finish only sixth to secure his third successive world championship.
His Mexican teammate Sergio Perez, the only driver still mathematically in the running but 177 points behind, will line up eighth after having a flying lap deleted in the final phase of the shoot-out.
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