Qatar Grand Prix Takeaways: Formula 1 tales from the desert

Wednesday, 04 December 2024 at 07:30

Formula 1 raced in Qatar last weekend, and for the third time in a row, the Lusail International Circuit, nestled in the desert, delivered an interesting spectacle.

The first time Formula 1 visited Qatar was in 2021 when Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were deep into their bitter duel for the championship.

Hamilton won the inaugural 2021 Qatar Grand Prix on the back of a win in Sao Paulo and followed that up with a win in Saudi Arabia, his three in a row setting the stage up for that unforgettable season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Qatar was missing from the Formula 1 calendar in 2022 as the country was hosting that year's FIFA World Cup but returned in 2023 on what was a memorable weekend as Verstappen clinched his third consecutive title.

As for 2024, Verstappen arrived in Qatar with his fourth title already in the bag, but it was another special weekend for him as he took his first win in dry conditions since the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix back in June.

It wasn't a straightforward 63rd career win for the Dutchman but a special one after the slump in form Red Bull's RB20 suffered ever since Imola's notorious upgrade.

Red Bull had a tough start to their weekend end but then managed to sort the setup of their car after experimenting with Sergio Perez and gathering data during the Sprint. The question is: Why couldn't they nail the setup from the start?

Also, Verstappen did not win by a huge margin which means the RB20 is not fully sorted yet, but the signs are encouraging, especially with 2025 in mind, as we will have four F1 teams able to fight for wins—three and a half is more accurate, depending on what Red Bull decide to do with Perez.

The 2024 Formula 1 constructors' championship was also in the spotlight last weekend in Qatar as Ferrari and McLaren are now the only contenders, but with both of them underachieving, McLaren more than Ferrari, their battle will be decided in Abu Dhabi, not that anyone cares, to be honest, as the drivers' crown is what matters and is what history remembers.

All in all, the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix was an interesting event on and off track, so let's have a look into it in this Takeaways column.

Do not piss Verstappen off

This message goes to George Russell, who now will be walking with a target on his back, a target only Verstappen can see.

Russell reported Verstappen was driving too slowly in his outlap in Q3 in qualifying, and after bagging pole, the stewards demoted the #1 RB20 one place down the starting grid for driving too slowly.

Verstappen was livid, which was more evident when he revealed what went down in the meeting with the stewards, announcing he had lost all respect for Russell, which was understandable in a way, as it was honestly a bit of a surprise that such a penalty was given.

As we at GrandPrix247 always say, an angry Max is a dangerous Max, and as a result, he made little work of Russell on Lap 1 after also messing with him taking his time to line up in his grid box at the end of the formation lap, leaving the Briton sitting there with his brakes and tyres cooling down.

Russell was out of contention soon after, as Lando Norris also passed him, and he simply did not show any of the speed he had enjoyed since the start of the weekend.

Verstappen always maintained that he respects Norris, and look what he did to him this year: he destroyed him and the latest example being how he was keeping an eye on the chasing McLaren realizing he did not slow under the Yellow flag and initiating the investigation that ended with a harsh penalty.

Can you imagine what Verstappen will do to Russell, now that he lost his respect for him?

Max thrives on adversity and has proven that several times now. He usually settles off-track fights on track. That was the case in Qatar.

Lewis Hamilton battling his demons

It was another painful weekend for the seven-time Formula 1 champion, outpaced by his teammate in qualifying (both Sprint and grand prix) but unlike his impressive comeback drive in Las Vegas, his race performance in Qatar was worrying.

Hamilton did not hold back and questioned his speed but then made a U-turn on that, claiming he still has got what it takes to be in the top flight, but it all shows the dark place he is in right now.

Despite the great run he had with Mercedes as they both rewrote the F1 history books together, that relationship was totally broken once Hamilton announced he's moving to Ferrari in 2025.

Mercedes quickly moved on, and Russell became the team leader and was now given all the love and care, and that would hurt any driver, even someone of Hamilton's caliber.

Now we have to admit that Hamilton has been a shadow of himself recently, but in his defense, he can't be bothered when the cars Mercedes have been giving him since 2022 were crap.

Sebastian Vettel went through the same phase with Red Bull in 2014 (the first season in the turbo-hybrid era) where he went from dominating the sport to pushing around broken-down Renault-powered Red Bull cars on track.

Let's not forget that Hamilton has clearly phased out since his Ferrari deal was announced, and the latest controversial statements from Toto Wolff about his "shelf life" did not help.

I am speculating here, but the fact that Mercedes decided to bring Kimi Antonelli as Russell's teammate in 2025 must have hurt Lewis, who realized that he was simply replaced by an overhyped rookie who has not set the world alight in the junior series.

That has all created the perfect storm for him, and he is now stuck in this downward spiral, which will only end when he jumps in a Red car.

The love Ferrari show a new driver will definitely boost Lewis' morale in 2025, a year that will be crucial for him to come back from the dark place he is currently in.

Vettel was rejuvenated when he joined Ferrari, and while that story did not end well, there is nothing that says Hamilton would suffer the same fate.

Hamilton will have to assert his status over Charles Leclerc next season, but for now, writing him off is not smart.

After his maiden Ferrari season, we reevaluate.

Qatar Grand Prix Quick Hits

The way McLaren managed the Sprint race, Norris helping Oscar Piastri by giving him DRS to defend from Russell, was spot on.
But then Norris gave the lead to Piastri on the final lap, and while that was executed masterfully, it brings up a question about Norris being the apex predator you need to be to win an F1 championship.
If Lando wins the F1 championship, he will be the nicest driver to do so.
Also on Norris, his ten-second stop-go penalty caused a stir, but in the end, he has only himself to blame for not slowing down under the double Yellow flags.
While Andrea Stella said the Yellows were on and off, that is no excuse, as his driver was the only one caught out.
As for the severity of the penalty, the FIA issued an explanation.
Speaking of explanations, the way race control managed the incident when the mirror from Alex Albon's Williams fell off was questionable. They also explained that, but it doesn't change that it wasn't right.
How poisonous has the relationship between Esteban Ocon and Alpine become that they could not bear being together for one more race!
Nothing seems to be working for Perez. He made Q3 in qualifying and was having a decent race, only for that spin after the Safety Car restart.
When it rains, it pours.
Qatar Investment Authority acquiring a stake in Sauber/Audi F1 Team was conveniently announced over the course of the weekend. Can we expect any more surprises from Audi?
There was another episode of F1 drivers vs. Mohammed Ben Sulayem in light of the latest firings in the FIA, the president not holding back...
Outgoing Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu delivered the team's first points this season. The best farewell gift from the Chinese driver.