Verstappen triumphs in Qatar as penalties spark controversy
Max Verstappen claimed his ninth win of the season at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, following up his recent Formula 1 drivers' title with a dominant performance. Despite a race full of hazards — ranging from smashed mirrors and crashes to unusually severe penalties — Verstappen steered clear of the chaos to take the victory.
Lando Norris, who had been Verstappen's closest title rival until the Dutch driver secured the championship in Las Vegas last week, was chasing Verstappen for the lead when he was handed a penalty for failing to slow under yellow warning flags. This dropped Norris to the back of the field, eliminating his chances.
After the race, Verstappen said, “It was a lot of fun out there. Very happy. It's been a while in the dry to be this competitive. Very proud of everyone within the team.”
Penalties, controversies
The stewards played a key role in the race, with several penalties issued for various infractions, sparking debate among team principals. Norris' penalty for not slowing under yellow flags was particularly contentious. McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, argued Norris had not actually failed to slow down and described the penalty as “disproportionately harsh.”
Stella added, “It's definitely material that the FIA should consider very seriously if we want fairness to be part of going racing in Formula 1. To me, it looks like somewhere there must be a book with a lot of dust on the cover that was taken out. Let me see what it says, I apply this. Seems a little too simplistic."
In addition to Norris, penalties were handed out to other drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, who received two penalties for a false start and speeding in the pit lane. Russell was also penalised for dropping too far back during a safety car period.
Multiple safety cars, crashes
The safety car was deployed three times during the race. The first came after a series of crashes at the back of the pack on the opening lap, followed by another due to debris from a shattered mirror on the track and a third when Nico Hulkenberg's Haas ended up in the gravel.
Heated constructors' championship battle
At one point, it looked like McLaren might clinch their first constructors' title since 1998, with Norris and Piastri in strong positions. However, after Norris' penalty, Ferrari closed the gap in the constructors' standings. Leclerc's second-place finish and Carlos Sainz Jr's solid sixth position — after a puncture appeared to derail his race — reduced McLaren’s lead from 30 points to 21. The constructors' title will now be decided in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi next week.
Race results, key incidents
Russell finished fourth, followed by Pierre Gasly in fifth, continuing Alpine’s recent strong form. Sainz took sixth, while Fernando Alonso finished seventh for Aston Martin.
Zhou Guanyu earned his and Sauber's first points of the season, finishing eighth, ahead of Kevin Magnussen in ninth. Norris, after being dropped to 15th due to his penalty, finished 10th.
