Lando Norris explains costly qualifying error as Oscar Piastri takes pole for Qatar Grand Prix

But on his final attempt, with marginal gains expected from improving track conditions, he ran wide almost immediately, abandoning the lap and leaving himself exposed.

Piastri, already buoyed by his Sprint race victory earlier in the day, capitalised with a composed final effort to take pole by 0.108 seconds, relegating Norris to the dirty side of the grid for Sunday’s title-defining race.

The situation is layered with championship significance. Norris, who leads the standings, will be crowned world champion if he outscores Piastri by four points and Max Verstappen by one - and will clinch the title outright if he wins the Grand Prix.

But overtaking proved difficult during the Sprint, and the race is set to be further shaped by Pirelli’s mandatory 25-lap tyre-stint rule introduced amid concerns about structural wear on the Losail kerbs.

Grid position could, therefore, prove more decisive than usual.

Reflecting on his mistake, Norris did not attempt to soften the assessment.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” he said. “I just got a bit of understeer and was going to go off, so I had to abort, which is a shame, but it is the way it is.

“Oscar did a good lap, and drove very well and has been driving well all weekend, so yeah, there is nothing to complain about. I just didn’t do the lap.”

The Briton acknowledged that the opening phase of the Grand Prix may provide limited opportunity to recover.

“In the first couple of laps, there are always opportunities for everyone, but after that, I think it is probably going to be pretty straightforward for everyone too," he added.

Despite the frustration of surrendering pole, Norris remained optimistic about McLaren’s prospects.

“We’ll review some things and see what I can do better [than in the Sprint], but otherwise, we are in a good position," he stated.

"The car has been feeling good. I was much happier today than yesterday, but there is progress, but it is a long race.”

The dynamic between the McLaren pair has become one of the defining storylines of the season.

Piastri’s confident Sprint victory - achieved despite a late-race tyre vibration scare - has closed the gap in the standings and reaffirmed his pace at Losail, a circuit where he has historically excelled.

Norris, meanwhile, remains the more polished over a full season and continues to lead the championship with only two races left.

Max Verstappen, starting third, remains an unavoidable threat.

The Dutchman has not been shy in fuelling the psychological stakes, recently saying he would have “easily” secured the title already had he been driving the McLaren.

Norris rejected the claim as “nonsense”, but the duel will be settled on track - and tomorrow’s start promises to be pivotal.