Verstappen claims victory in controlled F1 Qatar GP

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen controlled the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix from start to finish as the four-time world champion secured victory at the Lusail Circuit. 

Feature image credit: Red Bull Content Pool

After being slapped with a one-place grid penalty for driving too slow in qualifying, Verstappen bounced back and controlled the race from his second-place grid slot. 

Ahead of the penultimate race of the season, Verstappen lined up behind Mercedes’ pole-sitter George Russell. When the lights went out the two got an even start but the Dutchman dispatched the Mercedes driver into turn one. 

The move also allowed McLaren’s Lando Norris to sneak up inside the inside of the opening corner, and take second place, even giving the Briton a sniff of the race lead before Verstappen closed the door firmly. 

The four-time world champion was forced to deal with a safety car restart on lap four. From there, the Dutchman continued to lead through the first half of the race before things accelerated when Williams’ Alexander Albon’s wing mirror broke off on the pit straight. 

Verstappen lifted due to the double-waved yellow flags whereas his racing rival, Norris, did not. This resulted in a 10-second stop/go penalty for the McLaren driver later on in the race. 

Red Bull Racing are now officially out of contention for the constructors championship

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— Apex Motorsports (@ApexMSPRT) December 1, 2024

Controversially, race control did not send out the safety car or drop a virtual safety car until a few laps later when Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas ran over and shattered the piece. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton soon suffered punctures shortly after. 

Following the safety car restart, and the subsequent one which followed Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg retirements on lap 40. Verstappen controlled the race until the end.

After Norris took his stop/go penalty, dropping him to 10th at the chequered flag, it promoted Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc into second place with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri locking out the podium in second and third. 

As a result, it means the constructors championship goes down to the wire in Abu Dhabi next weekend between McLaren and Ferrari as Red Bull is knocked out of contention.

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Verstappen loses Qatar GP pole with one-place grid drop in ‘complicated’ penalty
• Verstappen takes first pole since Austria at Qatar GP pipping Russell by 0.055s
• Piastri wins sprint race as Norris allows pass in Qatar GP F1 Sprint
• Norris storms to final sprint quali pole in 2024 at Qatar GP
• Mick Schumacher confirmed to leave Mercedes at end of 2024 F1 season
• Italian GP set to remain in F1 until 2031 following six-year extension

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.