McLaren has made excellent progress in its pursuit of its first constructors’ title since 1998 at the sprint race in Qatar. Thanks to a one-two finish by Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, the team has increased its lead over Ferrari. Max Verstappen, the newly crowned world champion, had little to enjoy in the night race, finishing eighth.
The final sprint race of 2024 in Qatar, like the main race tomorrow and the Abu Dhabi GP next week, is primarily focused on the climax of the constructors’ championship battle. In this, McLaren and Ferrari are engaged in a fierce struggle, with the British team holding a 24-point lead before the start. Thanks to the one-two finish by Piastri and Norris, this lead has been extended to 30 points.
Norris, in particular, will have gained a lot of confidence from the sprint race: for the second time in eleven races where he started from pole position, he did not lose the lead in the opening lap. From the first meters, he controlled the race, and at the request of the pit wall, he also managed to keep teammate Piastri in tow. With DRS, the Australian was able to keep George Russell, who was pressing hard throughout the race, at bay. At the finish, Norris gave his teammate a gift as a thank you for what he did for him in São Paulo. “Thanks for the teamwork,” Piastri said.
For Max Verstappen, the short race turned out to be a significant disappointment. He lost three places at the start, complained about oversteer, and finished eighth. The world champion played a minor role, as expected after his sixth place in the qualification.
