The 2024 Qatar Grand Prix was a chaotic race filled with drama from start to finish.
Even before the race began, tensions were high as Max Verstappen, who already secured the Driver’s Championship, received a penalty that bumped him from pole position to second. This only fueled his fire, as he took the lead aggressively at the first corner.
Meanwhile, the back of the pack saw multiple collisions with Ocon, Colapinto, Albon and Stroll all falling down the order or retiring. Hamilton had a disastrous race with a false start, a puncture, and a drive-through penalty, while Sainz also suffered a puncture. Lando Norris also received stop-and-go penalty for ignoring yellow flags, costing him a podium finish and McLaren valuable points in the constructors championship. Three safety cars were deployed at various parts of the race due to the sheer number of incidents, with Perez and Hulkenberg spinning out and adding to the list of non-finishers.
Despite the championship being settled, the race was crucial for the Constructor’s title and the runner-up spot in the Driver’s standings. With McLaren leading by a narrow margin and Leclerc just behind Norris, the final race in Abu Dhabi promises to be a thrilling conclusion to a wild F1 season.