Max Verstappen wins Qatar Grand Prix as McLaren revival continues

Verstappen celebrating his third championship in Qatar — Photo: © LAT Images

Qatar Grand Prix

Verstappen wins Qatar Grand Prix as McLaren revival continues

Champion Verstappen delivers another faultless drive to land 14th win of the season

Cal Gaunt

Sunday 8 October 2023 21:25 Updated: 01:17

Max Verstappen capped off his world championship-winning weekend with victory in the Qatar Grand Prix, with McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris completing the podium.

Mercedes' George Russell recovered valiantly from a first-lap collision with team-mate Lewis Hamilton, which saw Hamilton out of the race, to finish behind the frontrunners in fourth.

Behind them, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc earned his team a valuable 10 points after Carlos Sainz was declared a non-runner after suffering a fuel system issue pre-race.

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Verstappen claimed his 14th win of the season in the Qatar Grand Prix

Classy Verstappen untouchable

Verstappen had already won his third consecutive world title in Saturday's Sprint but the celebrations certainly didn't hamper his performance as the Dutchman delivered yet another faultless drive.

Having led from pole, Verstappen spent nearly all of the 57 laps out front alone and he romped home to claim his 14th win of an entirely dominant 2023 season.

McLaren gain more ground on Aston Martin

McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris joined Verstappen on the podium in Qatar

McLaren's impressive mid-season revival continued as Sprint winner Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris displayed great pace throughout, joining Verstappen on the podium for the second time in as many races.

Their impressive upturn since Silverstone in July has seen them close the gap on Aston Martin to just 11 points in the constructors' championship.

Mercedes collide at first turn

Lewis Hamilton retired from the Qatar Grand Prix after crashing with George Russell on the opening lap

Starting from the second and third on the grid, Russell and Hamilton had a good opportunity to expand their lead over Ferrari in the constructors' championship and for Hamilton to close the gap to Sergio Perez in the drivers' standings.

However, those hopes were dashed at the first corner as the pair collided when they attempted to make a move on Verstappen.

I’ve watched the replay and it was 100% my fault and I take full responsibility. Apologies to my team and to George.
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) October 8, 2023

Hamilton pulled alongside Russell on the outside, and as he tried to pass, their wheels touched, causing Hamilton to spin into the gravel. Both drivers expressed frustration over the radio, but Hamilton later apologised to the team, while Russell made a strong recovery from last place to finish fourth.

Tyre talk dominates in Qatar

Teams were limited to a maximum of 18 laps per set of tyres in Qatar

Across the weekend, Pirelli found that their tyres were susceptible to failure at high speeds over the kerbs at the Losail Circuit.

As a result, it was announced on Sunday that all teams were limited to a maximum of 18 laps on each set of tyres.

Consequently, the running order of the race fluctuated regularly, with drivers required to make a minimum of three pit stops due to the limitations on tyre mileage.

Ferrari rue Sainz issue but Leclerc in the points

Leclerc battled to a fifth placed finish in the Qatar Grand Prix while his team-mate Sainz was unable to start

As the race unfolded and strategies evened themselves out, Leclerc secured fifth place, trailing Verstappen, Piastri, Norris, and Russell.

The Monagasque driver capitalised on a mistake made from Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, who ran wide off the track around the midpoint of the race, allowing the Ferrari man to overtake.