Max Verstappen controlled from start to finish in F1 Qatar GP win ahead of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri amid mayhem.
It was a hectic start in F1 Qatar GP main race where Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fended off Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Lando Norris to take the lead of the grand prix, with Norris having a look at the Dutchman too but contained himself to second, ahead of Russell.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc made a strong start to take McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for fourth, as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was sixth from Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Visa Cash App RB’s Yuki Tsunoda to round out the Top 10 points places.
There was potential jump start for Hamilton, who lost places as Perez, Alonso and Tsunoda made up places, dropping Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly to outside the points. There was immediate safety car after a three-car collision at the back end of the pack.
Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg had a moment in the middle of Turn 1 as the sideway moment caught Alpine’s Esteban Ocon on his left, who had Williams’ Franco Colapinto on his left. The race ended for the Frenchman and the Argentine, but the German managed to pit to continue.
There was an incident involving Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Williams’ Alexander Albon up ahead, where the Canadian was handed a 10s time penalty after a spin. The Thai was pushed off, as the Canadian eventually retired after serving his time penalty to not get a grid drop in Abu Dhabi.
The safety car re-start worked well for Verstappen, who continued to lead Norris and Russell in F1 Qatar GP, but Piastri managed to get fourth back from Leclerc at Turn 1, with Sainz in sixth from Perez. Just behind, Hamilton moved up to eighth from Tsunoda and Magnussen after Alonso chunk of places.
It included a wide moment at Turn 5 where he was investigated for unsafe rejoin but was cleared of it. He even lost out to Gasly, as Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson was handed 10s time penalty for causing a collision against Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas after re-start at Turn 1.
It was a similar moment like Hulkenberg, but there was slight contact. His teammate Tsunoda, though, started to lose places after a bold pass from Magnussen at Turn 1. The Dane was off track briefly before getting back on to take the place. The Japanese then dropped to 14th in the laps to follow.
He lost to Gasly and Kick Sauber pair of Guanyu and Bottas. In the front pack, it was Russell first to pit on Lap 25 but a slow stop dropped him in traffic. The mayhem kicked off after a mirror was broken off on the main straight just outside the racing line, with slippery surface flag being waved.
But the mirror stayed on and Bottas ran over it while giving way to the leaders. The debris seemingly caused punctures to Hamilton and Sainz as their front left were gone, with the new FIA Race Director finally calling out the safety car, allowing some others to pit.
It was Verstappen in the lead of F1 Qatar GP from Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Perez, Gasly, Russell, Sainz, Guanyu and Alonso in the Top 10. Replays showed that the Spaniard was released side-by-side Magnussen and took the track position at the pit exit, to demote the Dane to outside the points.
Russell was not happy with a second stop for hard tyres, as Hamilton dropped to 15th. The re-start was close between Verstappen and Norris for the lead where the Dutchman stayed in front. It was same between Leclerc and Piastri for third, which went on for few corners on.
Leclerc managed to stay ahead of Piastri, as Russell and Sainz cleared Gasly for fifth. The Frenchman went wide at Turn 1 but was able to rejoin and take Sainz after a snap from the Spaniard to be sixth. Alonso was up to eighth from Guanyu and Magnussen in the Top 10 points places.
There was a spin for Perez who dropped out from fifth, while Hulkenberg spun on his own which resulted in a Virtual Safety car that turned into a full Safety Car period. The pair of Visa Cash App RB cars of Tsunoda and Lawson pitted for the soft tyre for the re-start.
It worked well for Verstappen again to maintain the F1 Qatar GP lead as Norris came under slight pressure from Leclerc but stayed on. Piastri was third from Russell and Gasly, who managed to keep Sainz behind. Alonso was up to seventh from Guanyu, Albon and Magnussen in the Top 10.
The Thai barged through the Dane which was noted by the stewards but their fight continued on. There were two big stewards decisions which changed the grand prix. The first was for Norris who was handed a 10s stop and go penalty for failing to slow under the yellow flag.
The complaint was made by Verstappen as Norris dropped outside the points. Hamilton, meanwhile, was handed a drive-through penalty for speeding in pitlane. The Mercedes driver wanted to retire but Mercedes pushed him to continue. They called him in later but he continued on.
Norris, meanwhile, hurried himself into the Top 10 after passing Lawson, Tsunoda, Albon and Bottas. The Thai racer lost ninth to Magnussen and 10th to Bottas when he was handed a 10s penalty. The Finn’s chance to score lasted one lap when Norris managed to take him on.
At the front, Verstappen took the F1 Qatar GP win handsomely ahead of Leclerc and Piastri, with Russell in fourth where he was handed a 5s time penalty for a safety car infringement. Gasly hung on to fifth to score crucial points for Alpine, as they returned to sixth again.
Sainz had to be content with sixth from Alonso, who scored after a while along with Gunayu. The Chinese driver scored his and Sauber’s first points of 2024, as Magnussen and Norris rounded the Top 10 points places where Norris had the fastest lap point.
Just outside the points, Bottas was 11th from Hamilton, Tsunoda, Lawson and Albon to finish the 15 runners, where the Thai finished a lap down to the leaders.
Here’s how F1 Qatar GP sprint panned out
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