British rookie Lewis Hamilton finished second in the Malaysian GP to hand McLaren their first one-two since 2005.
The final phase of qualifying was halted, with only Piastri and Haas' Nico Hulkenberg having set times, when Sainz slammed backwards into the barriers at the final corner as he prepared to start his flying lap.
McLaren's Fernando Alonso has been cleared to travel to Malaysia.
Lewis Hamilton hopes fellow Briton Jenson Button will make a comeback and replace McLaren's Fernando Alonso at the Monaco Grand Prix when the Spaniard is away competing in the Indianapolis 500 in May.
Team mate Lewis Hamilton remains the title favourite despite a Chinese Grand Prix that dealt the 22-year-old rookie his first retirement of the season after leading from pole position.
Ferrari got on the podium with Brazilian Felipe Massa taking the third spot.
F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says Fernando Alonso needs to put more back into the sport as world champion
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel is sure to win this year's Formula One title and Ferrari's focus is now on finishing ahead of Mercedes in the constructors' championship, Fernando Alonso said on Saturday.
Double world champion Fernando Alonso believes the new Ferrari F10 is the best car he has driven and says the team were hiding their true potential in last week's Jerez test.
Chelsea's players must quickly adapt to new manager Maurizio Sarri's demands as the Italian looks to reshape the team for the new Premier League season
Spain's double World champion Fernando Alonso and Britain's Jenson Button will drive for McLaren next season, the Formula One team announced on Thursday.
'McLaren car is 100 percent ready'
Fernando Alonso can see a brighter future for McLaren, despite turning up at his home Spanish Grand Prix on Thursday with a stye in his eye.
Ferrari boss Jean Todt has ruled out any prospect of Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso moving to the team from McLaren next year.
Max Verstappen won the first sprint race of the Formula One season at the Chinese Grand Prix on Saturday.
'I appreciate the quest for safety but this is Formula One and the way it is now is perfectly fine' 'I am sad for the sport... it doesn't look right from outside when in one week we change the qualifying format three times'
If Fernando Alonso were to beat the odds and win the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, the double Formula One world champion will be one step away from the 'Triple Crown of Motorsport'.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz won the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday in a triumphant return two weeks after appendicitis surgery as Red Bull's World champion Max Verstappen suffered his first retirement in two years.
George Russell led Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes front-row lockout in qualifying for the British Grand Prix on Saturday with McLaren's Lando Norris completing a rare one-two-three of home drivers.
Mexican team mate Sergio Perez qualified second fastest in a front row lockout for Red Bull, 15 years after the team took their first win at the Shanghai International Circuit with Sebastian Vettel.
As impressive as those results have been, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner took the opportunity after the race to issue a scary warning that his team is capable of winning every grand prix this season.
Max Verstappen led a soggy Monaco Grand Prix from start to finish on Sunday
World champion Max Verstappen got back to winning ways on Sunday with a third straight pole-to-flag victory at the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix, leading teammate Sergio Perez across the line for a Red Bull 1-2 at Suzuka.
Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from pole position in a Red Bull one-two on Sunday with Max Verstappen staying top of the championship after racing from 15th to second.
German champions Bayern Munich are close to signing former World and European champion Xabi Alonso from Champions League winners Real Madrid.
Leclerc took pole in Monaco in 2021, but did not start the race due to a driveshaft failure, and 2022 when he ended up fourth.
Diksha Dagar fought back strongly in the second round to make the cut alongside compatriot Pranavi Urs at the Ladies Open.
Formula One is feeling a fresh wave of optimism under its new owners, while Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are the two most popular drivers, according to an extensive fan survey released on Friday.
Lando Norris capitalised on a bit of good fortune to win the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday
Formula One drivers sought reassurance from tyre supplier Pirelli on Friday after world champion Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso suffered punctures in second practice at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen won the season opener as Red Bull registered a dream start with a one-two finish at the Bahrain GP.
IMAGES from the Belgian F1 Grand Prix
Max Verstappen celebrated a record 10th win in a row by leading Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez one-two at Ferrari's home Italian Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc put Ferrari on pole position for Sunday's US Grand Prix after Red Bull's triple Formula One world champion Max Verstappen had a faster lap deleted for exceeding track limits and dropped to sixth on the grid.
Lewis Hamilton said Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr as 'incredibly brave' for his response to racist insults in Spain.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
It was the first time Verstappen, winner of a record 19 of 22 races last year, has won the first two races of a season. He has also won 19 of the last 20.
Verstappen's hopes of a record-extending 11th successive victory looked a long shot on a city circuit where overtaking is never easy.
Sebastian Vettel trimmed Lewis Hamilton's Formula One lead to 17 points with eight races remaining.
