As it happened: 2024 Qatar Grand Prix

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The 2024 Qatar Grand Prix is coming up next.

It’s almost time for the penultimate round of the 2024 world championship, and one which could see the constructors’ championship decided. McLaren hold a 30-point lead over Ferrari and 53-point lead over Red Bull. They need a margin of at least 45 points (44 if they win) to seal what would be their first title win since 1998.

When qualifying ended yesterday it looked like Max Verstappen had scored his first pole position since the Austrian Grand Prix. However he has been relegated to second place on the grid as a penalty for driving unnecessarily slowly during qualifying: Prior to his final flying lap Verstappen was beneath the delta time between the two Safety Car lines, which does not ordinarily trigger a penalty, but he also got in George Russell’s way, causing his rival to take evasive action. Russell benefited from Verstappen’s penalty and took pole position. Here’s the full grid.

McLaren have claimed the second row of the grid, the Ferraris line up behind them with a thoroughly demotivated Lewis Hamilton between them – he’s been unable to get the best out of the Mercedes in qualifying again.

After dropping out in the first round of qualifying for the sprint race, Sergio Perez reached Q3 yesterday and lines up a much better ninth. However he was still the best part of a second slower than his team mate in the final stage of qualifying.

This race could also have a big impact on the close fight for sixth in the constructors’ championship between Haas (50 points), Alpine (49) and RB (46). Magnussen lines up 10th for Haas ahead of Gasly’s Alpine. The highest RB is Tsunoda in 14th.

The drivers are performing their reconnaissance laps now before lining up on the grid.

Sergio Perez has been noted for a potential infringement: Driving erratically at the pit lane entry.

Race control have issued an updated message which appears to imply Oscar Piastri, not Perez, is the driver who may be in trouble over the pit lane entrance.

Race control now say the Piastri incident at the pit lane entrance will be dealt with after the race, which likely means he isn’t going to get a race-affecting penalty.

Leclerc asks Ferrari “do we have time to change balaclava?” as part of his drinks system is broken and he can’t get any liquid. “No Charles we don’t have time so you need to keep it like this,” answers race engineer Bryan Bozzi.

All drivers will start the race on the medium tyre compound apart from Nico Hulkenberg on hards.

The drivers set off on their formation lap.

The cars are taking up their places on the grid ready for the start. Those in the even-numbered positions yesterday generally got away more poorly.

The 2024 Qatar Grand Prix is go! Max Verstappen takes the lead from George Russell at the start.

Lots of drama at the start. Franco Colapinto and Esteban Ocon have stopped at the first corner and the Safety Car is deployed. Nico Hulkenberg limping in with a left-rear puncture.

Lance Stroll understeered into Alexander Albon at turn four and both spin.

L5 Restart. Lawson has spun off at turn one. Piastri passes Leclerc for fourth.

Stroll is under investigation for causing a collision with Albon. The trio who tangled at turn one have been cleared.

Alonso has sunk to 12th. “Man the speed down the straight is worrying.”

L7 Verstappen has pulled out of Norris’ DRS range but Piastri is closing on Russell for third place.

Vizard: “You’ve got Lawson close behind.” Stroll: “I don’t really care about Lawson.” He adds “something is broken at the rear.” He has also been given a 10-second time penalty.

Alonso is fuming over his lack of straight-line speed. He’s also been noted for unsafely rejoining the track at turn 14. Meanwhile Hamilton has been noted for a false start.

L11 Magnussen makes a move stick on Tsunoda for ninth place despite being forced off by the RB driver at the exit of turn one.

The stewards are being kept very busy in this race. Lawson now has a 10-second time penalty for tangling with Bottas.

L12 Verstappen is now 1.9s ahead of Norris, Russell 1.8s behind with Piastri for company, seven-tenths off his tail.

Alonso was already on eight penalty points heading into this race, so if he does get penalised for unsafely rejoining the track he could end up close to a ban.

The stewards have noted Magnussen and Tsunoda for an incident after the Haas driver passed the RB having been forced off the track at the exit of turn one.

Hamilton gets a five-second time penalty for his jump start. Haas tell Magnussen his move is under investigation though race control have only noted it so far. Alonso has been cleared for unsafely rejoining the track.

L15 Tsunoda loses another place, this time to Zhou, who moves into 12th. Russell has now fallen almost five seconds off Verstappen.

L16 Norris produces the fastest lap but Verstappen is responding. There’s just under two seconds between them.

Piastri gets an armful of opposite lock in the final corner and slides onto the run-off. Norris was just under a tenth of a second faster than Verstappen and is now 1.8s behind.

Leclerc: “Let’s check pressures, tyre pressures. The way I’m driving punctures are likely.”

L20 Verstappen is told to reduce his tyre management and duly sets the fastest lap so far, 1’24.896. The gap between him and Norris is 1.8 seconds, it’s been hovering around that area for several laps.

L24 Russell pits but it doesn’t go well for Mercedes, he’s stationary for seven seconds as the team struggle with his right-rear and he comes out in traffic.

Verstappen and Norris continue to trade fastest laps but the Red Bull driver has edged his lead just up to two seconds.

L26 Norris now sets the fastest lap and gets Verstappen’s lead down to 1.6 seconds.

Verstappen is asking if Norris lifted through yellow flags where there is debris on the track approaching the first corner. Race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase tells him he didn’t and indicates they’ve raised it with race control.

Lambiase: “He was full on the throttle with DRS open under yellow.”

Stallard to Piastri: “Track is clear but I’m not sure if the wing mirror has been moved.”

Bottas appears to hit the wing mirror and now Hamilton is limping in with a front-left puncture. And Sainz does too!

L35 Safety Car deployed.

No indication yet the stewards are looking into any driver’s reaction under yellow flags. Earlier on the yellow flag lights on the timing page seemed to be going on and off as if there was a glitch.

Most drivers have pitted but not all of them are happy with their new tyres. Russell: “Why have we put the fucking hards back on, mate? They’re shit.”

Verstappen: “Anything on that yellow flag? Or you can just go flat out through a yellow.” Lambiase: “Literally just talking about that now, Max.”

Norris gets caught out by Hamilton braking ahead of them as they come into the pits – which the Safety Car is taking them through – and locks up his tyres.

L39 The race is about to restart with 18 laps to go. Verstappen leads Norris, Leclerc and Piastri – and Perez has suddenly dropped to the rear of the pack!

L40 Verstappen resists Norris at the restart. Hulkenberg has come to a stop and Perez appears to be out as well. The Safety Car is out again.

The stewards have noted Norris for failing to slow under yellow flags.

Norris now under investigation. Verstappen says he thinks the Safety Car’s lights are malfunctioning.

L42 Safety Car coming in again. Verstappen leads Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Gasly, Sainz, Alonso, Zhou and Magnussen.

L43 Verstappen leads at the restart as Norris fends off Leclerc.

Piastri: “Check the front left. I can see sparks coming from it and I have a vibration.”

Norris has been given a 10-second stop-go penalty for failing to slow for yellow flags.

L46 Norris pits to serve his penalty, that promotes Leclerc to second place ahead of Piastri, Russell and Gasly. That means the constructors’ championship is unlikely to be decided tonight and Alpine are poised to reclaim sixth place.

L49 Magnussen sweeps around Albon for ninth, his next target is Zhou, who is on course to score Sauber’s first points for more than a year.

Magnussen gets Bottas and now the recovering Norris sets about them, he passes Albon and Bottas for 10th place and is tearing around the track, setting a string of fastest laps.

Russell has been noted for a Safety Car infringement.

Max Verstappen wins the Qatar Grand Prix! Leclerc takes second ahead of Piastri and Russell. The Mercedes driver was given a five-second time penalty but stays fourth ahead of Gasly.

What did you think of the Qatar Grand Prix? Rate the race here.

Perez will be investigated after the race for “dangerous driving” at turn 14.

A lot of drama and controversy to look into after that one. Lots more coming on RaceFans soon. In the meantime here’s our review of an intense Qatar Grand Prix.

2024 Qatar Grand Prix

• Horner ‘believes 100%’ Verstappen did not threaten to crash into Russell
• Russell and Verstappen cast new light on clash which triggered explosive row
• Hamilton’s puncture not caused by mirror debris – Mercedes
• Another start-to-finish win shows Qatar GP could be F1’s most processional race
• “Am I dead last now?” Unheard radio from Hamilton’s disastrous Qatar GP