Only Oscar Piastri is tasked with completing qualifying assignments?

In a thrilling qualifying session at the Dutch Grand Prix, McLaren's Oscar Piastri snatched pole position from teammate Lando Norris by a minuscule margin of 0.012 seconds. Despite Norris leading all three practice sessions, Piastri delivered a stellar performance in the final Q3 lap to secure the top spot.

Piastri's advantage came from his impressive speed in the high-speed Scheivlak corner, often gaining a half-second there. However, he struggled with long corners in Zandvoort, particularly corners 9 and 10, and the chicane, losing over two tenths to Norris on Friday.

But Piastri found it challenging to improve at a few places this weekend, and it seemed that Norris would hold onto pole position. However, the young Australian driver managed to make enough progress in qualifying to secure the pole.

Norris, not one to complain about small margins, is taking the close result in stride. He expressed that he would need "magic", good strategy, or exceptional tire management to overtake Piastri in the race.

Both drivers had been adjusting their driving styles to improve their performance in qualifying, and it showed in their performances. Piastri, for instance, reduced his deficit from corner 9 onwards in FP1, and by the end of Q3, he had closed the gap to just 0.080 seconds.

Norris also identified areas for improvement after qualifying, particularly in catching up to Piastri up the dunes and into Scheivlak.

Team principal Andrea Stella confirmed that both drivers were aware of each other's performance data during qualifying, adding an extra layer of competition to the session.

Piastri had a limited number of qualifying simulations on soft tires in practice, which may have contributed to his strong showing in Q3.

Despite the close qualifying result, overtaking in Zandvoort is notoriously difficult, and catching a teammate with the same equipment is even tougher. The tight, twisty circuit makes passing a challenge, and the close qualifying result promises an exciting race.

Qualifying provides four new sets of soft tires and many push laps within an hour, which adds to the intensity of the session. Piastri's ability to deliver a superb lap under pressure secured him the pole, making him the favourite for Sunday's race.

As for Norris, he will be looking to make up the deficit and secure a podium finish in the race. With the Dutch crowd cheering them on, it's sure to be an exciting race weekend at Zandvoort.