World champion Max Verstappen cruises to victory in Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix after the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell crashed into each other at the first corner.
Newly-crowned world champion Max Verstappen has cruised to victory in Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix.
Earlier in the weekend, the Red Bull driver completed the formalities of winning a third successive world title in the Sprint, a race that was won by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
However, the roles were reversed for the main attraction of the weekend, Verstappen leading from start to finish to claim his 14th Grand Prix of the season.
The main drama came at the first corner when Lewis Hamilton and George Russell made contact at the first corner, Hamilton attempting an ambitious move around the outside when Russell had little room to stay out of his path due to Verstappen in front of him.
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 8, 2023
Both drivers expressed their frustration in the immediate aftermath but Hamilton – who had to retire – later took responsibility for causing the incident.
Russell would remain in the race to earn a valiant fourth in energy-sapping conditions, the British driver opening his visor during at least one pit stop to gain further air.
Williams driver Logan Sargeant was also forced to retire after feeling unwell, while the increased tyre degradation and limitations over usage added extra layers to the race.
Piastri and Lando Norris would finish in second and third position respectively, adding valuable points to McLaren’s total in their effort to finish in third place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso were fifth and sixth respectively, with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon in seventh spot.
The Alfa Romeo duo of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu finished ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to complete the top 10 in a race that Carlos Sainz Jr failed to start due to fuel issues in his Ferrari.
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