Max Verstappen Wins Qatar Grand Prix in Dominant Fashion

A one-place grid penalty made no difference for Max Verstappen, who won Sunday’s (Dec. 1) Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix after starting in second place.

Verstappen took the lead from polesitter George Russell on the first lap and controlled the 57-lap race from that point on, managing his gap over the rest of the field all the way to the end to collect his ninth win of the 2024 season.

“It was a very good race,” Verstappen told Sky Sports’ David Coulthard. “Of course, yesterday in qualifying the car was a lot better. And today, that first stint was very, very fast. Lando and I, we were within 1.8 seconds of each other the whole time, pushing each other. And honestly, it was a lot of fun out there, this track has a lot of grip and this year, the tires are really holding on. So that was honestly a lot of fun to really be pushing the tire.”

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE QATAR GRAND PRIX!!

Expertly managed from the World Champion, who makes it two wins in three races! 👏👏#F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/KqMPFWAcbw

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 1, 2024

The race was marred by officiating decisions that baffled both the Twitterverse and the commentary team, including Lando Norris being issued a 10-second stop-go penalty for failing to slow during a local yellow flag on the main straight and Lewis Hamilton being nabbed for speeding in the pit lane, accruing a drive-through penalty.

Really enjoying the @F1 commentators analysis of the stewards this entire end of the race 😂😂

— Kyle M. Kirkwood (@KKirkwoodRacing) December 1, 2024

Norris’ penalty demoted him to last on the track, meaning the Briton carved his way through the field en route to a 10th-place finish. His McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, finished third, but with second place for Charles Leclerc and sixth for Carlos Sainz, the battle for the Constructors’ Championship between McLaren and Ferrari will carry on to the season finale at Abu Dhabi.

Ferrari currently sits 21 points behind McLaren, with up to 44 points per team up for grabs in the final race of the season.

Down to the wire.

The battle for the Constructors' Championship will be decided in Abu Dhabi! #F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/OGEctkBo7M

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 1, 2024

A detached side-view mirror from the Williams of Alexander Albon was left sitting on the main straight for some time during the middle of the race and ostensibly caused front-left tire punctures for both Hamilton and Sainz on laps 34 and 35, respectively.

Bottas had hit the wing mirror before the punctures happened. No issue on the Sauber right now under this safety car. There are going to be serious questions lobbed at race control after this. This is a serious safety issue, more than anything. #F1 | #QatarGP Lap 36/57

— Formula Frontstretch (@formulafs.bsky.social) December 1, 2024 at 11:58 AM

Zhou Guanyu, in what may be his penultimate race in F1, brought KICK Sauber their first points of the season by finishing in eighth place and winning Driver of the Day honors in the process. The result brings four points to the team, though they will still finish dead last in the Constructors’ Championship. Zhou, personally, moves to 20th out of 23 in the Drivers’ Championship, ahead of Liam Lawson, Valtteri Bottas and Logan Sargeant.

IT'S POINTS FOR ZHOU GUANYU!! 🙌#F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/brGlkXk1YA

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 1, 2024

Five drivers retired from the race.

Nico Hulkenberg was credited a 16th-place finish after beaching his Haas in a gravel trap on lap 41. A lap prior, Sergio Perez lost his car coming to the restart from a Safety Car period which began on lap 35. Perez was noted with a 17th-place result.

Lance Stroll retired his Aston Martin on lap 9, being scored 18th.

Franco Colapinto and Esteban Ocon scored 19th and 20th, respectively, after colliding in turn 1 on the opening lap, ending both of their races. The first Safety Car of the evening was deployed on the next lap.

LAP 2 / 57

⚠️ SC DEPLOYED ⚠️

Colapinto, Ocon and Hulkenberg collide at T1.

The Haas has a puncture, the others are out 😔#F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/xKWIIWGov8

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 1, 2024

2024 F1 Qatar Grand Prix Race Results

The finale of the 2024 F1 season will be the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Coverage will begin Sunday, Dec. 8, at 8 a.m. ET on ESPN.