Norris currently holds a 24-point gap over Piastri and Max Verstappen in the drivers' standings, and the Brit can claim a maiden World Championship at the Losail International Circuit this weekend.

However, he will start Saturday on the back foot and have some work to do during the sprint race after Piastri rediscovered his form and took P1 for the first time since Grand Prix qualifying at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Behind him, it won't be Norris on the first row of the grid, but the Mercedes of George Russell, with the Brit splitting the two McLarens with an impressive lap time to get himself up to second place.

Norris could only muster a P3 finish when the chequered flag fell, unable to improve on his first playing lap during the final part of the session.

A fine lap from Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin will see him start alongside Norris in fourth, while Yuki Tsunoda also showed his capabilities in the Red Bull with a P5 finish.

It was a disastrous session for Verstappen, with his championship chances taking a major blow after the Dutchman could only finish P6 come the end of the session, well off the pace compared to his two title rivals.

Kimi Antonelli and Carlos Sainz take P7 and P8 in the provisional sprint race starting grid, while Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon round out the top ten.

It was another miserable session for Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari, as the seven-time World Champion could only put his SF-25 in P18 and not make it out of SQ1.