Which Formula 1 driver made the most of the Qatar Grand Prix weekend?
It’s time to give your verdict on which driver did the best with the equipment at their disposal over the last three days.
Review how each driver got on below and vote for who impressed you the most at Losail International Circuit.
Driver performance summary
| Driver | Q stage | Q pos. | Q gap to team mate | SR grid pos. | SR pos. | GP grid pos. | GP pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | Q3 | 1 | -0.905s | 6 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| Sergio Perez | Q3 | 9 | +0.905s | 19 | 20 | 9 | 17 |
| Lewis Hamilton | Q3 | 6 | +0.436s | 7 | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| George Russell | Q3 | 2 | -0.436s | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Charles Leclerc | Q3 | 5 | -0.189s | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| Carlos Sainz Jnr | Q3 | 7 | +0.189s | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| Lando Norris | Q3 | 3 | -0.057s | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| Oscar Piastri | Q3 | 4 | +0.057s | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Lance Stroll | Q2 | 15 | +0.703s | 14 | 13 | 15 | 18 |
| Fernando Alonso | Q3 | 8 | -0.703s | 11 | 11 | 8 | 7 |
| Esteban Ocon | Q1 | 20 | +0.871s | 17 | 14 | 20 | 20 |
| Pierre Gasly | Q2 | 11 | -0.871s | 8 | 9 | 11 | 5 |
| Alexander Albon | Q1 | 16 | -0.204s | 12 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| Franco Colapinto | Q1 | 19 | +0.204s | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 |
| Liam Lawson | Q1 | 17 | +0.047s | 10 | 16 | 17 | 14 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | Q2 | 14 | -0.047s | 16 | 17 | 14 | 13 |
| Valtteri Bottas | Q2 | 13 | +0.230s | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 |
| Zhou Guanyu | Q2 | 12 | -0.230s | 18 | 19 | 12 | 8 |
| Kevin Magnussen | Q3 | 10 | -0.551s | 15 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Q1 | 18 | +0.551s | 9 | 7 | 18 | 16 |
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Vote for your driver of the weekend
Which driver do you think did the best job throughout the race weekend?
Who got the most out of their car in qualifying and the race? Who put their team mate in the shade?
Cast your vote below and explain why you chose the driver you picked in the comments.
Who was the best driver of the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix weekend?
- No opinion (2%)
- Kevin Magnussen (2%)
- Nico Hulkenberg (0%)
- Zhou Guanyu (24%)
- Valtteri Bottas (1%)
- Yuki Tsunoda (1%)
- Liam Lawson (0%)
- Franco Colapinto (0%)
- Alexander Albon (0%)
- Pierre Gasly (20%)
- Esteban Ocon (0%)
- Fernando Alonso (2%)
- Lance Stroll (1%)
- Oscar Piastri (1%)
- Lando Norris (5%)
- Carlos Sainz Jnr (0%)
- Charles Leclerc (2%)
- George Russell (5%)
- Lewis Hamilton (2%)
- Sergio Perez (0%)
- Max Verstappen (29%)
Total Voters: 83
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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
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- Which Formula 1 team has the strongest driver line-up for 2025?
BenHur
1st December 2024, 18:04
The race was all a farce and #44 the main clown so they get my vote
erikje (@erikje)
1st December 2024, 18:33
You don’t get a vote.
elchinero (@elchinero)
3rd December 2024, 15:50
HAD to chose #44!
Sham (@sham)
1st December 2024, 18:09
No option for race control? Their lack of action to clear the mirror from the track is what caused all the issues – the punctures, the (eventually) safety car after the yellows.
Yes, Lando should have lifted, of course he should.
But race control ruined a few peoples races today
BasCB (@bascb)
1st December 2024, 18:13
For me it was Norris this weekend.
Max had a not so great weekend until he got the car working for him in Qualifying and then (apart from the curious penalty that really was ahm, yeah) really showed us the driver we know him to be, no faults, got back in front at the start and did everything right.
Zhou really was driving at the level his fans would have liked to see from him and the Sauber really did a good job getting their car to show some pace. Gasly was a very good one this time too.
The worst part of the weekend was the officiating really. The Max penalty, some of the other ones, that baffling decision to leave the debris in the middle of the track at the one area where cars can overtake on this track and just give a yellow flag for the whole sector, remove it (we got how many FLAPs in between?), wait until Bottas hits it, Sainz and Hamilton get punctures, wait another few laps, before we then call a SC then wait until about 20 laps after the point to hand out the harshest penalty for things we’ve seen in about a decade. Plus another couple of WFT penalties too, and seeing Piastri is under investigation AFTER the race for something during in the Pit lane BEFORE the race? A mess.
bull mello (@bullmello)
1st December 2024, 18:21
The race turned into a mess. Bad judgement took over.
SPArtacus
1st December 2024, 20:16
Pretty great and succinct summary of the what, why, and how on just how bad the RD and stewards were and much of what they did.
And there was more to boot with them blowing it from lap 1, turn 1: the penalty for Stroll, which would be questionable at best in normal circumstances, was especially horrible in light of the no action necessary call on Hulkenberg after plowing, out of control into to two cars and ending their race while Stroll was half a car ahead and on the inside. Stroll has little sympathy from me or anyone else and even Palmer was baffled by the penalty.
Jere (@jerejj)
1st December 2024, 18:27
GAS for DOTW, but ZHO for DOTD.
SPArtacus
1st December 2024, 18:27
Max
Honorary mention for:
-Zhou for a legit solid race in which he beat Bottas fair and square
-Norris
-Alonso for qualifying that crap box in 8th
-Gasly for holding off Sainz
SPArtacus
1st December 2024, 18:29
PS – Max because he took pole in a car that wasn’t faster than the McLaren or Mercedes and because he dominated the race from lights out to the checkered flag.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
1st December 2024, 18:32
Stop with the car being slow – that car can go as fast as they want. It can probably lap Verstappen’s car today.
SPArtacus
1st December 2024, 20:06
Did I say the car was slow? And, it’s hard to take you seriously, when you tell us that Gasly, Perez and Albon could all easily beat Max in even equipment or that they’re intentionally hobbling Perez.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
1st December 2024, 20:16
He actually didn’t beat Bottas fair and square at all. Zhou lost 5 places at the start. Which is a considerable amount given he started P12. Bottas maintained P13. Zhou then luckily regained P15 after Stroll hit Albon. Bottas then got forced way off track by Lawson, and Zhou got yet another free pass. Bottas soon pitted after this and then ran over the mirror. Then there was a safety car and this is what got Zhou his points. Bottas meanwhile was looking pretty quick and was overtaking Hamilton and Albon. While it may not look all that clear, once looked at more closely, Zhou infact wasn’t as good as Bottas.
PacificPR (@streydt)
1st December 2024, 18:32
Kevlar Magnussen.
erikje (@erikje)
1st December 2024, 18:34
I’ll vote for whoever provided the drugs to race control and the stewards this weekend, must be some powerful stuff.
ryanoceros (@ryanoceros)
1st December 2024, 19:07
Max, Gasly, and Zhou showed their best today, but I think I’d give Gasly the award for the overall weekend. What a mess though.
Robert Williams (@weiliwen)
1st December 2024, 19:41
Had I been completely unbiased, I would probably have chosen Max, but I like Pierre Gasly, and his performance really helped the Alpine team immensely.
Leo B
1st December 2024, 19:45
Max. Obviously.
SPArtacus
1st December 2024, 20:18
While I agree. You’d likely say that even if he came home P5. lol
BLS (@brightlampshade)
1st December 2024, 19:56
A good few shouts worthy of DOTW this time round. But for holding it all together whilst all those around crumbled I’ve got to give it to Max this time round.
Andrew (@andrewsf1)
1st December 2024, 20:07
Bottas for running over the wing mirror which caused all the chaos
An Sionnach
2nd December 2024, 14:10
He also got his eleventh place, elevating him to the lofty position of second last in the drivers’ standings, above Logan Sargeant. It was an important day for Logan as well, seeing as justice has been done and he has finally gotten the championship position he deserved!
BenHur
1st December 2024, 23:34
Nobody has voted for Carlos, and surely he was not the DOTW, but I am giving him an honorable mention. His father is notoriously unlucky and Carlos seems to have inherited the jinkx.
Carlos got a puncture that made him lose an ungodly amount of time until he limped to the pits and just then the SC was called. On top of it the pitstop was unbelievably long. Without the puncture it should have been a podium, with Max and Charles. And a much greater points haul for Fezza (+7 for Carlos plus -3 for Oscar and the gap to Macca would be just 11 for Abu Dhabi)
Carlos should have been able to pass Pierre in the last few laps and save a couple points more, but the Alpine was too fast in the straight which in Losail is pretty much the only overtaking point.
Carlos is a real pro and will do everything in his power to help Fezza get their WCC, although with a 21 point gap it is a very long shot. Why should he care for a team that has thrown him away in order to hire a drooling dotard is another question.