While George Russell took the win in Las Vegas, it was Max Verstappen who stole the spotlight by picking up his fourth consecutive World Title despite not having the most dominant car for the majority of the season.
However, the Constructors’ battle is still on with two races to go, and here are our preview and predictions for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
While the Drivers’ title has been wrapped up by Verstappen, there still is one more title to fight for, with McLaren and Ferrari the leading contenders for the Constructors’ title.
With two races to go, McLaren are top of the Constructors’ Standings with 608 points, while Ferrari are second with 584. Despite the tight battle at the top, McLaren have managed to drop the ball in the last couple of races and neither Lando Norris nor Oscar Piastri has been on the podium. This has allowed Ferrari to close the gap. They have been looking like contenders to win in recent races and outscored McLaren last weekend in Las Vegas; they have the momentum to pip the British team for the title right at the death.
With both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in top form, count on the Scuderia for at least a big points haul if not the race win
Pole position prediction: Lando Norris / Charles Leclerc
Race winners prediction: Ferrari / McLaren
All the reports, rumours, and roads point to one outcome—that Red Bull will axe Sergio Pérez at the end of the season and bring in a youngster to partner Verstappen.
Pérez is contracted with the team for until the end of the 2026 season, but he is likely on his way out after this year. The Mexican did help Red Bull achieve their first-ever one-two in the Drivers’ Standings last season, but this time round he has been anything but helpful to the team.
Pérez lies eighth in the Drivers’ table, and his poor Saturdays this season have hampered his performances on Sundays. He is yet to win a race this season and only has four podiums to his name, the last of which came in China, which was the fifth race of the season.
Pérez’ underwhelming performances have resulted in Red Bull being on the brink of losing their Constructors’ crown; sitting 53 points behind McLaren, it will take a miracle or two in the final two races for the Milton Keynes outfit to reclaim it.
While the drivers of McLaren, Ferrari, and even Mercedes of late have been stepping up their game, Pérez’ best result from the last seven races is a P7 finish. Heading into Qatar, he has to his name only nine points from the last five Grands Prix.
There is some ray of hope, though, as Pérez himself stated recently that he and his side of the Red Bull garage had begun to understand what was going wrong and “are close to turning things around”. He has always been a driver who has thrived under pressure, and if these final races are all he has to save his F1 career (there are no other seats available on the grid), count on him to end things on a high note.
Dark Horse: Sergio Pérez
The battle for P6 in the Constructors’ has gotten even closer and only four points now separate the teams in sixth, seventh, and eighth. Haas are in P6 with 50 points, while Alpine are just a point behind in P7, with VCARB in P8 with 46. With two races to go, and a Sprint in Qatar, it’s all to play for.
Haas and VCARB scored points in Las Vegas, while Alpine, after their double podium in Brazil, finished P17 and had to retire the car. The double podium had put them in pole position to run away with P6 in the final three races, but Pierre Gasly having to retire his car on Sunday after putting in a stunning Qualifying lap the day before took quite a few by surprise.
VCARB and Haas have shown strong race pace in the last two Grands Prix. Count on another tight midfield battle among the three P6 contenders at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, especially given the extra points on offer due to the Sprint event.
Also read: Formula One (F1) Sponsors 2024
Circuit: Lusail International Circuit
Venue: Lusail, Al Daayen, Qatar
Practice Session 1 time: 19:00, November 29
Sprint Qualifying time: 23:30, November 29
Sprint time: 19:30, November 30
Qualifying time: 23:30, November 30
Main race time: 21:30, December 1
Where to watch: F1 TV Pro / FanCode
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