Max Verstappen wins the Qatar GP in Losail staying in the lead from the first corners. Race in control for him.
Max Verstappen returned to the top step of the podium at the Qatar GP, imposing himself with authority on a track that, at least on paper, seemed favorable to his rivals. The Dutchman, fresh from his fourth world title won in Las Vegas, once again showed why he is the benchmark in Formula 1, managing a flawless race despite the difficulties encountered during the weekend. Starting from second place following the penalty imposed for the episode with George Russell in qualifying, Verstappen immediately took the lead in the first corners, overtaking the Mercedes poleman. From that moment on, he maintained a pace that was unsustainable for his opponents, alternating with Lando Norris on the fastest laps during the first stint of the race.
A really fast first stint
“The first stint was really fast. Lando and I were always 1,8 seconds apart, pushing each other, it was a lot of fun. This track has a lot of grip and the tyres are really holding this year so it’s fun to really push the tyre,” the Dutchman declared to the microphones after the race, underlining the competitiveness of the McLaren and the fun he had during the race.
However, the second stint provided more challenging conditions.With the switch to hard tyres and the introduction of the safety car, Verstappen had to deal with a drastic decrease in grip. “They are already cold out of the box and can’t warm up behind the safety car. I tried something different at the exit of the last corner, but I had no grip on the rear, so I struggled to find traction. Turn 1 was critical, but then I drove to the end with a good pace,” has explained.
The improvement compared to the Sprint Race is attributable to the changes made by the team between Saturday and Sunday. A substantial difference in performance, which allowed Verstappen to redeem the Sprint, dedicating himself to qualifying and the race.
“I am very proud of the team for turning things around in one day. They deserve this win too.”
