01/12/2024
NEWS STORY
At the start of the Qatar weekend drivers and team bosses met with FIA stewards to discuss such things as driving guidelines for the future. The meeting was described a "positive".
Of course, technically, the sport is already regulated to within an inch of its life, but do we really need every move that the drivers make the result of rubber stamping by the FIA?
Yesterday, we witnessed Verstappen claim a superb pole position that came totally against the run of play, yet hours later the Dutchman was penalised... and didn't take it well.
Seemingly he drove unnecessarily slowly which was a problem for George Russell who was behind him. Neither was on a flying lap, but nonetheless the stewards deemed that the world champion was in the wrong and dropped him one grid place.
Yes, you read that right. Not three, not five, not ten or to the back of the grid, but one.
It's bad enough seeing what Liberty is doing to our sport in the name of entertainment, but surely we should be able to expect better of the governing body. Then again, with Mohammed ben Sulayem appearing to fire anyone who merely looks at him the wrong way, and high-profile departures on an almost weekly basis maybe we shouldn't be so surprised.
Then there's Mr Russell, a director of the 'drivers' union', and another of those drivers who goes running to teacher at the drop of a hat rather than sticking his elbows out and getting on with it.
Maybe, in the days before team radio, the likes of Ascari, Fangio, Brabham, Clark and Stewart were equally whiny, but somehow we don't think so, and our sport was all the better for it.
As a result of the penalty, Russell starts from pole, ahead of Verstappen, Norris - another whiner - Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Sainz, Alonso, Perez and Magnussen.
While McLaren is clearly strong, form among the leading teams has fluctuated from session to session, and as a result it is hard to make a prediction.
Having claimed he'd lost it on Friday, Lewis Hamilton was on altogether better form on Saturday evening, and like his fellow veteran, Mr Alonso, should never be written off.
The drivers' title is decided but there remains the battle for the constructors', consequently McLaren and Ferrari will have to give it their all today. The Woking outfit last won the title in 1998, while its Maranello rivals triumphed in 2008, though it feels longer.
Sergio Perez, who should hang his head in shame after his Sprint start, has an opportunity to help Red Bull but does he have it in him.
Then there's the battle for sixth, with Haas, Alpine and RB, not to mention Stake, who surely deserve something from this season, especially after the performance of its two drivers yesterday.
Last year's race was marked by the excessive temperatures which took their toll on the drivers, and while the race takes place later in the year this time around, and in cooler conditions, the sheer nature of the track and the gusty conditions are once again making an impact on the drivers.
While it might be featureless in the eyes of spectators and viewers, the drivers enjoy this track, and while we can expect the inevitable DRS trains there should also be some decent overtakes courtesy of said DRS (groan) and slipstreaming.
Based on Saturday's data, the one-stop option is looking best. It's true that in the Sprint some cars reached the limit in terms of tyre wear but it did not cause a significant drop in performance. Furthermore, the track characteristics with no really heavy braking points, makes overtaking rather complicated, especially if cars find themselves in a DRS train as we saw in the Sprints, both F1 and F2.
The medium should be the favoured choice for the start, with a pit stop to take on hards between laps 16 and 24. Those starting at the back could run the two hardest compounds the other way round, while those considering a two-stop could decide to make the most of the better performance on offer from the soft in the very early stages and then continue with two sets of hard or possibly, one hard and one medium."
Air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 24 degrees.
The pitlane opens and Alonso is first out, followed by Piastri, Hamilton, Gasly and Stroll.
Before a wheel has turned in anger, Piastri is in trouble with the stewards for "driving erratically".
"Piastri just overtook in the pitlane entry," reports Hamilton, "attacking the white line."
The incident will be investigated after the race.
Last to take their places on the grid are the Haas pair.
Leclerc reports that due to an issue with his balaclava he cannot use his drink feed, but it's too late to do anything about it.
All are on mediums bar Hulkenberg, who is on hards, and its fresh rubber for all bar Russell, Leclerc, and Sainz.
The field heads off on the formation lap, Russell leading the way.
The grid forms.
They're away! As we've seen before, Verstappen loses out in the first phase of the start but then it all kicks in. As they head into Turn 1 he is on the inside, just ahead of Russell, as Norris attempts to go down the inside of both of them.
Indeed Norris is momentarily ahead of the Dutchman but into Turn 2 the world champion wedges back ahead.
Behind, Russel has Leclerc and Piastri filling his mirrors with Sainz looking to pick up the pieces should it come to grief.
Leclerc has a nasty wobble coming out of Turn 5 but holds it together and keeps Piastri at bay.
Further back however, Colapinto has gone off Turn 1 as has Ocon, while Hulkenberg is off at Turn 4.
Relay shows Hulkenberg lost the rear of the Haas in Turn 1 and hit Ocon, the Frenchman forced into the Williams.
The Williams and Alpine are out on the spot, while the Haas driver heads back to the pits with a puncture.
In a separate incident further around Albon and Stroll lock wheels as they battle for position, sending the Williams into a spin. Albon is able to continue with no obvious damage.
"I got hit by massively hit by Stroll," reports Albon. "I knew he was going to do it, I could tell."
The Safety Car is deployed and then withdrawn at the end of Lap 4.
Verstappen floors it heading into Turn 16, and as Russell climbs all over Norris, Piastri passes Leclerc.
Hamilton and Tsunoda pass Alonso while Lawson has dropped to last after running wide in Turn 1 at the restart as he attempted to pass Bottas.
"Man, the speed on the straight is worrying," reports Alonso as he drops a further two places.
The stewards deem that no further investigation is needed of the Hulkenberg incident.
Tsunoda is up five places from where he started, while Alonso is down four and Stroll three.
"If it's a problem let us know," Stroll is told. "It's a problem," he replies and subsequently pits... at which point he is given a 10s penalty for causing a collision.
That said, the Canadian rejoins the race.
"I cannot ******* believe it man, two ******* years with the same problem on the straights," complains Alonso.
To add to his problems the Spaniard has been noted for rejoining the track unsafely.
Hamilton has also been noted for a false start.
At the end of Lap 9 Stroll pits again, this time to retire.
Out front, Verstappen leads Norris by 2s with Russell a further 1.5s behind.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Qatar here.
Magnussen makes a bold move on Tsunoda for ninth. Moments later the Japanese comes under attack from Gasly... these three battling for their respective teams' hopes in the constructor's championship with many millions of dollars at stake.
Lawson is given a 10s penalty for causing that collision with Bottas.
Russell is managing his tyres, which has allowed Piastri to close in.
A brilliant move sees Gasly nail Tsunoda for tenth.
"The rear is all over the place," reports Albon who is currently 15th.
Now Tsunoda loses out to a determined Alonso.
Hamilton is given a 5s penalty for a false start, the Mercedes driver currently eighth, 0.6s down on Perez.
Zhou is the latest to pass Tsunoda who is clearly struggling.
"I'm pushing 100%, Bro," reports the Japanese.
A mistake at the end of Lap 16 sees Piastri run wide in the final corner and lose time to Russell.
Leclerc is assured that his tyre pressures are "fine" after the Monegasque admits concern.
"High speed Turn 2, 4...5, it's pushing out," says Russell.
Hamilton admits surprised when told of his pace compared to the leaders.
Lap 20 sees a new fastest lap from Verstappen (24.896) as he maintains a 1.8s lead.
Russell has dropped 5.5s behind Norris and is only 0.9s ahead of Piastri.
Bottas takes a punishing ride over the kerbs as he runs wide.
Verstappen and Norris are advised that they don't have to manage their tyres and can push. Pit stops incoming?
Norris posts a new fastest lap (24.865).
Once again, Piastri runs wide in the final corner.
Russell pits at the end of Lap 23 as Verstappen posts a new fastest lap. It's a slow stop and he rejoins in 11th on hards, behind Alonso.
"How far are we off the front?" asks Hamilton. "1.2," he is told, in terms of pace.
A new fastest lap from Norris (24.670).
Bottas pits at the end of Lap 24.
Now in clear air Piastri seeks to close the 8.6s gap to his teammate.
"The car is slowly beginning to turn, but not much," reports Hamilton. However, Russell reports the exact opposite, insisting that his car is not turning.
Magnussen pits at the end of Lap 27, the Dane rejoining in 16th, behind Lawson.
A big snap sees Hamilton kick up a great cloud of dust... of which there is much here.
Double waved yellows as a wing mirror is spotted on the main straight. It is from Albon's Williams.
"If you have any pace to Verstappen, take it, push up for it." The Briton is currently 1.3s down on the leader.
Verstappen asks his team to check Norris who appears to have closed the gap despite the waved yellows.
Despite the debris and the yellow, Race Control opts not to intervene, either in terms of the Safety Car or even the VSC
Hulkenberg pits at the end of Lap 31, rejoining in 16th, behind his teammate.
Relay shows Norris now running wide in the final corner.
Bottas runs over the errant wing mirror at the start of Lap 34 as he moves aside for Piastri and Leclerc. Moments later Hamilton suffers a puncture, as does Sainz.
Piastri pits as does Sainz, as Verstappen is told "box, box!"
Piastri rejoins in 5th and Sainz 10th as the Safety Car is finally deployed.
As Verstappen and Norris pits, Hamilton says: "Trust me to have this luck."
Leclerc also stops as do Perez, Gasly, Russell, Alonso and a host of others.
Hamilton is the big loser, the Briton now down in 16th.
Verstappen leads Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Perez, Gasly, Russell, Sainz, Alonso and Zhou.
The field is led through the pitlane in order that the debris can be cleared from the straight.
"Why have put hards on," demands Russell. "Why have we put the ******* hards back on!"
Most are on hards, though Alonso and Magnussen have opted for mediums, as have Hulkenberg and Bottas. Albon is on softs..
Indeed, replay shows Magnussen and Alonso side by side in the pitlane, the Spaniard winning out.
Norris claims that Hamilton brake tested him as the entered the pitlane.
The Safety Car is withdrawn at the end of Lap 39. Verstappen leads the field down the main straight, Norris tries to make a move around the outside in Turn 1 but the Dutchman has it in hand. Behind Piastri and Leclerc are side by side while Gasly runs wide after being passed by Russell.
Meanwhile, further back, Perez has stopped at Turn 15. Initially the VSC is deployed and then the full Safety Car.
Hulkenberg has stopped at Turn 10.
Under the Safety Car, Tsunoda and Lawson both pit.
Replay shows that Perez spun, but it is not clear why. That said, his reaction suggests it was self-inflicted. Another replay shows Hulkenberg spinning off into the gravel.
Adding to the drama, Norris is under investigation for failing to slow under the yellows.
"What position am I in," asks Hamilton. Told he is twelfth, the Briton replies: "It's messed up, mate."
For the third time Verstappen lets rip at the restart, however, Norris is under attack from Leclerc.
While the rest are waving in a bid to generate heat into their tyres, there are no such problems from medium-shod Alonso.
Norris is given a 10s stop and go, as Magnussen claims that he has been rammed by Albon in the Thai driver's bid to pass the Haas driver for 10th.
"For what," asks Norris of his penalty.
Verstappen is advised of Norris' penalty.
Hamilton has been noted for speeding in the pitlane.
Norris stops at the end of Lap 45, rejoining in 15th position... of 15.
Hamilton gets a drive through.
Zhou does a Kimi, telling his engineer to leave him alone. "I'm pushing," he insists.
"Negative," Hamilton is told when the Briton says he wants to park his car after his latest set-back.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Qatar here.
Lap 48 sees Norris post a new fastest lap (22.64) however in fourteenth it won't earn him a point.
Even though he is out of the race, Perez has been noted for rejoining the track unsafely.
Albon is under investigation for that incident involving Magnussen.
"F*** off," says Magnussen as he swoops past Albon in Turn 1 to claim ninth. "Nice one, Kev," he is told.
Norris passes Lawson for thirteenth. Next up in the Kiwi's RB teammate.
Up ahead, Bottas runs wide as he battles Albon for 10th, with Norris closing in.
Sainz is closing on Gasly as they battle for 5th. However, a mistake sees the Spaniard lose ground.
Bottas passes Albon who is now under pressure from Norris.
Gasly goes mad when told he needs one second of lift and coast. "Wait, what are you saying," he demands.
Albon gets a 10s penalty for that incident with Magnussen.
Norris passes Bottas for tenth.
Sainz is all over Gasly as Norris posts anther fastest lap (22.471).
Hamilton passes Lawson for 14th.
Russell has been noted for a Safety Car infringement.
Albon pits at the end of Lap 55 to serve his penalty.
At the start of the final lap, Gasly somehow holds off Sainz in Turn 1, while 17s up the road Verstappen is cruising to victory.
Verstappen takes the flag, the Dutchman clearly revelling in the moment.
Behind the world champion it's: Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Gasly, Sainz, Alonso, Zhou, Magnussen and Norris.
Bottas is eleventh - Stake only just failing to get both drivers in the points - ahead of Hamilton, Tsunoda, Lawson and Albon.
Russel is handed a 5s time penalty for that Safety Car infringement.
"Karma is a wonderful thing," Gianpiero Lambiase tells Verstappen, referring to the grid drop. "Simply wonderful," says Verstappen, the Dutchman still taking the p*** in terms of the clamp down on swearing.
"I'm sorry," Norris tells his team.
As for his teammate, he is under investigation for dangerous driving.
Well, the drama - or should that be chaos - seemingly never stops, with the stewards set to be burning the midnight oil.
Other than the inexplicable delay in reacting to that debris a number of other incidents that have arisen today raise questions that must be answered, and while that meeting between the drivers and officials may have been seen as "positive", today's events indicate that there is much more to be done.
"It was a tricky race," says Piastri in a masterpiece of understatement, "the cars at the front had very similar pace so it was very tough to make inroads into DRS.
"Nice to end up on the podium," he adds, "but not quite the result we were hoping for.
"I'm not sure what Lando's penalty was for, obviously quite a big one. It's going to take everything we've got to seal the deal."
"I'm really happy," smiles Leclerc. "Honestly, I would have signed straight away for second after a weekend like this at a track like this, our car characteristics don't fit with this track.
"The fight will go all the way to Abu Dhabi," he says of the championship(s).
"For the debris I was staying left and hoping it didn't bite me, it didn't but it was unlucky for Carlos.
"It's exciting, 21 points to McLaren is a lot, but we'll give it our all."
"It was a very good race," says race-winner Verstappen. "The car was a lot better. That first stint was very, very fast, me and Lando were pushing each other, always within 1.8s and it was a lot of fun out there.
"A few Safety Car moments, but very happy. It's been a while in the dry since we've been this competitive. It got a bit spicy into Turn 1 but very happy to win here.
"The last few years we've been competitive (in Abu Dhabi) so hopefully we can fight for a win there again."
Well, "chaotic" probably best sums up what we've just witnessed, and though while some will use "exciting" to describe it, in all honesty much of it was one big mess, certainly in terms of failing to react to that debris on the main straight of one of the fastest tracks on the calendar.
Great to see Stake break its duck, and good for Gasly and Magnussen also, not forgetting Fernando.
And as for the constructors' title, well it's going down to the wire, which can't be bad.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Qatar here.