Max Verstappen wins chaotic Qatar Grand Prix: 'Very proud of the team'

Published on 01 December 2024 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen triumphed in a tumultuous Qatar Grand Prix. Starting from P2, Verstappen seized the lead at the first corner and held off challenges from Lando Norris while navigating three safety car restarts to claim his ninth Grand Prix victory of the season. Behind the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver, Charles Leclerc finished second in his Ferrari, with Oscar Piastri securing third place for McLaren.

After the race, a jubilant Verstappen reflected: "It was a very good race. The car already felt a lot better in qualifying yesterday. Today, the first stint was very fast. Lando Norris and I were within 1.8 seconds of each other the whole time, pushing each other, that was a lot of fun out there. This track has a lot of grip, and this year the tyres were really holding on, so it was a lot of fun to push the tyre. We went really long in the first stint, and then there were a few safety cars, which you had to take care, but I am very happy. It has been a while in the dry to be this competitive. I am very proud of everyone in the team for turning it around within a day. They definitely deserve this victory."

Verstappen started as leader for three safety car restarts, facing significant pressure from Lando Norris, especially during the second restart. Explaining the challenge, Verstappen said: "On the hard tyres, there was very little grip. Coming out of the box, they are really cold, and behind the safety car, you cannot warm them up. I tried something different out of the last corner but had no rear grip, it got a bit spicy in turn one. But I think that is great to see. After that, we drove it to the end with good pace, very happy to win here."

The final race of the season takes place next week in Abu Dhabi, where Verstappen hopes to end the year on a high: "It is difficult to say, of course the last three years we have always been competitive there. I hope we can be competitive again. We will pay attention to detail, try to optimise the car, and hopefully fight for the win there again."

The Qatar Grand Prix began under clear skies with a temperature of 19°C on the 5.419 km Lusail International Circuit. All drivers except Nico Hülkenberg started on medium tyres. Verstappen, despite qualifying on pole, began from P2 after receiving a grid penalty for impeding George Russell, who inherited pole position.

At the start, Verstappen made amends, overtaking Russell on the inside of Turn 1 to take the lead. Lando Norris followed suit, relegating Russell to third. Further back, chaos ensued: Nico Hülkenberg lost control of his Haas, colliding with Esteban Ocon and Franco Colapinto, forcing both out of the race. Hülkenberg limped back to the pits with a puncture. Meanwhile, Alexander Albon and Lance Stroll collided but managed to continue. A safety car was deployed due to the stranded cars.

After the safety car period ended on lap 5, Verstappen maintained his lead while Piastri moved to P4. Several incidents followed, including a spin by Liam Lawson during an overtaking attempt on Valtteri Bottas, earning the New Zealander a 10-second penalty. Lance Stroll retired his Aston Martin in lap 10, becoming the third driver to exit the race.

On lap 35, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz suffered punctures, possibly from debris from Albon’s damaged mirror. A safety car was deployed, allowing Verstappen to pit for hard tyres while retaining the lead ahead of Norris and Leclerc.

After the safety car exited on lap 40, Norris launched an attack on Verstappen but could not overtake. Perez spun and retired before the restart, while Hülkenberg’s spin led to another safety car period. On lap 43, the race resumed with Verstappen maintaining his lead. Norris, however, was handed a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for speeding under a yellow flag, effectively ending his chances of victory. Leclerc moved to P2, with Piastri in P3.

Verstappen cruised to victory, finishing six seconds ahead of Leclerc, with Piastri completing the podium. George Russell took P4, Pierre Gasly finished fifth for Alpine, and Carlos Sainz came sixth. Zhou Guanyu scored his first points of the year for Sauber in eighth, while Lando Norris recovered to finish P10 after his penalty. With this result, the constructors' championship will be decided at the final race in Abu Dhabi. McLaren holds a 21-point lead over Ferrari, while Red Bull Racing is out of contention for the title.

Results Grand Prix Qatar: