The battle for the Constructors’ Championship this season is fiercely competitive, but during the Qatar Grand Prix, the duel between McLaren and Ferrari was not about speed or strategy. Instead, the decisions of Rui Marques, the new FIA race director, and his team of stewards took center stage. Ferrari, in particular, seemed to benefit from some questionable choices by the race management, with significant consequences for McLaren in the title fight.
A Chaotic Turn of Events
The drama began in lap 29, when Alexander Albon lost his side mirror on the straight. At that moment, McLaren seemed to be firmly in control: Lando Norris was comfortably in second place behind Max Verstappen, followed by Oscar Piastri in P3. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were in P4 and P5. With an eleven-point lead in the race over Ferrari, McLaren seemed to be taking a significant step towards their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998, but then chaos ensued due to questionable decisions by the race management.
Lack of Action
The marshals waved double yellow flags to warn of the detached mirror on the straight, but a safety car was not deployed. Norris, who did not sufficiently reduce speed while the yellow flags were being waved, was later penalized with a severe stop-and-go penalty. Meanwhile, the lack of clear action from the FIA became painfully apparent. Valtteri Bottas unknowingly drove over the debris, scattering even more glass and rubble across the circuit. Sainz and Hamilton were the victims of this: both drivers suffered a punctured tire.
Ferrari Benefits, McLaren in Trouble
McLaren anticipated a safety car and brought Piastri in for an early pit stop in hopes of gaining a strategic advantage. However, the FIA only decided to deploy a safety car in lap 35. The late safety car turned out to be a blessing for Ferrari. Leclerc was able to benefit from a pit stop during the safety car and climbed to P3, while Piastri made his pit stop earlier without time gain and lost a position. Eventually, Leclerc even moved up to P2 after Norris’s penalty.
For McLaren, it turned out to be damage control in the title fight. Piastri managed to hold onto his P3, but Norris dropped back to P10 and achieved the fastest race lap. Sainz did not get further than P6. The race ended with Ferrari scoring nine more points than McLaren, which means that the title fight will be decided during the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi.
