Summary

  • Norris on sprint pole; Russell 2nd; Piastri 3rd

  • Perez out in first session

  • Alonso out in second session

  • Leclerc tops practice ahead of Norris

  • McLaren could win constructors' title in Qatar

  • Verstappen wrapped up fourth title in Las Vegas

  • Get involved #bbcf1

Live Reporting

Gary Rose

  1. Franco Colapinto is the first to bolt on softs and head out onto the track. He's currently down in 19th.

  2. It has dropped a bit quiet once more on the track. Looks like teams are preparing for some soft tyre runs for the final 10 minutes of practice.

  3. The work that had been going on on Esteban Ocon's car is over and he looks to be heading out for the final 15 minutes.

  4. It is the F1 photographer's dream now with the sun setting and providing a nice golden glow to the backdrop now.

    .Getty Images
    .Getty Images

  5. Rosanna Tennant
    5 Live F1 reporter in Qatar

    I've just been watching Ocon's mechanics work pretty hard on his car. The team say they are making pretty routine changes. I think they are tinkering with the suspension rods, there are five working on the car. I'll keep you posted!

  6. Esteban Ocon has been in the pits for a little while now. He's still in the car but there's a group/gaggle/flock of mechanics crowded around it.

  7. Ferrari look to be doing well here as they improve the benchmark time, Carlos Sainz going above team-mate Charles Leclerc with 1:23.068.

  8. Pierre Gasly is the latest to run wide, this time going off the track at Turn 13.

    "Can you check the front of the car," he asks over the radio after clattering over the kerb.

  9. Carlos Sainz is up into second, doing a lap on the hard tyres that is a tenth of a second slower than Charles Leclerc's time.

  10. The McLarens are pushing to the limits here as Oscar Piastri runs well wide at Turn 15 and then a replay shows Lando Norris wrestling with the wheel to avoid losing control.

  11. These are the top five positions and fastest lap at the midpoint of practice:

    1) Leclerc 1:23.702

    2) Verstappen +0.183

    3) Gasly +0.222

    4) Norris +0.361

    5) Sainz +0.387

  12. Lando Norris crunches over the gravel at Turn 5 but no major issues. He's currently fourth quickest and, like most of the other drivers, is out on mediums.

  13. A few more drivers heading back out as teams start moving into the next phase of their preparations for the weekend.

  14. Just over half an hour to go and it is pretty much all quiet. Just Liam Lawson's RB out there enjoying the track to himself.

  15. Sergio Perez will be looking to have a strong finish to the season and he will be hoping to iron out any creases in this practice session as he briefly runs wide.

  16. No, Max Verstappen's helmet is clearly still annoying him now so he's in to swiftly change to another one.

  17. There's a couple of complaints about traffic over the radios as the sky above begins to get darker.

    Charles Leclerc is on the hard compound now and a 1:23.702 puts him top of the pile.

  18. Times are quickly improving now 15 minutes into the session and, after a brief spell at the top for Pierre Gasly, Max Verstappen is back in P1 after a 1:23.885

  19. Max Verstappen, who said there was too much air getting into his helmet, hasn't actually changed his lid. He did go in, however, so perhaps some adjustments were made.

  20. George Russell is not best pleased with his brakes as he says over the radio: "Brakes feel pretty rubbish, not much bite".

    Some adjustments seem to have done the job however as he goes quickest shortly afterwards with 1:24.901.

    Lando Norris, meanwhile, is second quickest, 0.076s off Russell's time.