Max Verstappen wins in Qatar after crazy race under the lights

Max Verstappen triumphed at the Qatar Grand Prix in a dramatic race at the Lusail International Circuit, dealing a significant setback to McLaren’s aspirations for the constructors’ championship.

The four-time world champion seized the lead from George Russell at the first corner, with Lando Norris following closely in second. Verstappen and Norris held the top two positions for most of the race, which was interrupted by three safety cars.

“Simply lovely, guys! What an unbelievable race again, that was really fun!” 📻

Expertly managed from the first corner to the last by Max Verstappen tonight! #F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/etuxKMdgzq

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 1, 2024

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The race turned sour for Norris when he was handed a 10-second stop/go penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags. He served the penalty late, dropping to the back of the pack but mounted an impressive recovery to finish in P10.

Charles Leclerc capitalized on the chaos to finish second, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri securing third. Carlos Sainz came home in sixth, further bolstering Ferrari’s points tally.

The result leaves the constructors’ championship up for grabs, with the title set to be decided at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.