Accidents, overtakes, and controversy. Qatar gave us an unexpected classic in the desert, with Max Verstappen eventually coming out on top after Lando Norris was down the depths of the field after a crippling time penalty for not slowing for yellow flags.
Make sure to enter your predictions for this weekend's race in Abu Dhabi in the forum post. You could still put yourself in the running for a year's worth of OverTake.gg Premium website membership!
Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris, Qatar 2024. Image: Formula One
Combining coming into the pits, serving the penalty and then leaving the pits again, the penalty amounted to just over thirty-five seconds, plummeting the Somerset local down to the back of the running pack in fourteenth.
Norris kept his head clear and charged hard to steal the fastest lap point from the Dutch champion. With a handful of laps left, the McLaren driver could only muster tenth place, meaning McLaren left Qatar still locked in a battle with Ferrari for the Constructors Championship.
Despite the penalty, Verstappen lead the race from the first corner. Image: Red Bull Content Pool / Getty Images
The stewards requested both Verstappen's and Russell's presence on Saturday night after qualifying. The Red Bull driver was investigated for driving slowly on a cooldown lap, which consequently impeded the Mercedes driver.
The decision to hand Verstappen a one-place grid drop reversed the pair's original qualifying positions. The World Champion was relegated to P2, with Russell moving into Verstappen's spot at the front of the grid. Not everyone sees it as an unfair penalty for Verstappen, however.
Jack Doohan will replace Esteban Ocon in the final round of 2024. Image: Formula One
Alpine announced very early in the season that Ocon would depart the Enstone outfit after the 2024 season, ending his five-year tenure at the team. The Frenchman made the shock announcement he was heading to Haas alongside the young Brit, Oliver Bearman.
While this means that Ocon will be missing from the finale, the Frenchman will still get to put in some mileage when he does touch down in Abu Dhabi. The Yas Marina Circuit will see him take the wheel of the current Haas car in the big end-of-season test.
Red Bull's 2023 Abu Dhabi celebrations. Image: Red Bull Content Pool / Getty Images
The final race of a fantastic Formula One season is this weekend. A crazy season with six different winners has shown that this generation of Formula One can be competitive. Max Verstappen might already be the champion, but the constructors championship is still up for grabs. McLaren vs Ferrari is the fight to watch this weekend.
What did you think about the Qatar Grand Prix? Was Lando's severe penalty deserved? Let us know in the comments below!
Podium Predictions
The Qatar Grand Prix was the third round of our podium prediction game. The battle at the top of the table is heating up, with more and more names adding their predictions each week. Can anyone dethrone @Pete Conway on 30 points at the top with just one round to go?Make sure to enter your predictions for this weekend's race in Abu Dhabi in the forum post. You could still put yourself in the running for a year's worth of OverTake.gg Premium website membership!
Lando Norris Saves Two Points After Time Penalty
Norris's nightmare scenario was the considerable controversy coming out of the desert. Chasing down Verstappen, the Brit closed the gap on the main straight on lap 30 under yellow flags. The four-time World Champion noted this to his team over the radio, and a few laps later, the McLaren driver was forced into the pit lane to serve his penalty.Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris, Qatar 2024. Image: Formula One
Combining coming into the pits, serving the penalty and then leaving the pits again, the penalty amounted to just over thirty-five seconds, plummeting the Somerset local down to the back of the running pack in fourteenth.
Norris kept his head clear and charged hard to steal the fastest lap point from the Dutch champion. With a handful of laps left, the McLaren driver could only muster tenth place, meaning McLaren left Qatar still locked in a battle with Ferrari for the Constructors Championship.
Verstappen vs Russell After The Chequered Flag
Verstappen stated that he has "lost all respect" for George Russell after a stewards inquiry meeting after qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix. Verstappen would lose out and be handed a one-place grid penalty for Sunday's big race.Despite the penalty, Verstappen lead the race from the first corner. Image: Red Bull Content Pool / Getty Images
The stewards requested both Verstappen's and Russell's presence on Saturday night after qualifying. The Red Bull driver was investigated for driving slowly on a cooldown lap, which consequently impeded the Mercedes driver.
The decision to hand Verstappen a one-place grid drop reversed the pair's original qualifying positions. The World Champion was relegated to P2, with Russell moving into Verstappen's spot at the front of the grid. Not everyone sees it as an unfair penalty for Verstappen, however.
Looking Ahead To Abu Dhabi
The resurgent Alpine have confirmed that their 2025 driver and current test and reserve driver, Jack Doohan, will make his F1 race debut at the season finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend. His debut comes at the expense of Esteban Ocon in a deal that allows the Frenchman to participate in the post-season test for his new team, Haas.Jack Doohan will replace Esteban Ocon in the final round of 2024. Image: Formula One
Alpine announced very early in the season that Ocon would depart the Enstone outfit after the 2024 season, ending his five-year tenure at the team. The Frenchman made the shock announcement he was heading to Haas alongside the young Brit, Oliver Bearman.
While this means that Ocon will be missing from the finale, the Frenchman will still get to put in some mileage when he does touch down in Abu Dhabi. The Yas Marina Circuit will see him take the wheel of the current Haas car in the big end-of-season test.
Red Bull's 2023 Abu Dhabi celebrations. Image: Red Bull Content Pool / Getty Images
The final race of a fantastic Formula One season is this weekend. A crazy season with six different winners has shown that this generation of Formula One can be competitive. Max Verstappen might already be the champion, but the constructors championship is still up for grabs. McLaren vs Ferrari is the fight to watch this weekend.
What did you think about the Qatar Grand Prix? Was Lando's severe penalty deserved? Let us know in the comments below!
