Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Qatari Formula One Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit. December 2024. Photo: AFP
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has won the Qatar Grand Prix, his ninth Formula One win of the season.
Charles LeClerc finished second, ahead of Oscar Piastri and George Russell, while New Zealander Liam Lawson finished 14th, second last of those who completed the high-attrition race.
Lawson started 17th on the grid and was in early trouble, being dished a 10-second penalty for making contact with Valtteri Bottas. It was on lap five restart as Lawson was attempting to pass Bottas and spun backwards off the track.
Lawson later apologised for causing the collision.
"I thought I had more grip than I did and I went into turn one trying to obviously make the move. I got halfway around the corner and realised I didn't have the grip," the New Zealander told reporters after the race.
"I think I spun because I was trying not to hit Valtteri, and I guess I did, so I'm sorry for that. It wasn't my intention."
Lawson said he managed to catch the back of the field again, but was "completely out of position".
"Overall we are not quick enough to be fighting the guys we need to be fighting with and obviously that is tough. We lost a lot of points," he said.
"I think we have made big steps this year but some more to be taken."
Lawson is 21st in the drivers' standings with four points, while team-mate Tsunoda is 12th, with 30 points.
Ferrari managed to take the constructors championship fight to the wire, cutting McLaren's lead to 21 points. It will now be decided at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix next weekend, as McLaren failed to clinch it in Qatar.
It was a race with much drama, featuring issues with tyres, debris on the track, safety car infringements and time penalties.
Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto and Esteban Ocon all failed to finish.
Liam Lawson goes for a spin during the Qatar Grand Prix, December 2024. Photo: AFP
"Karma is a wonderful thing. You definitely did not drive unnecessarily slowly today. Great job," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner over the team radio after Verstappen took the chequered flag.
Stewards had demoted the champion from pole position on Sunday for driving too slowly, with Mercedes' Russell starting from the top slot but finishing fourth, Reuters reported.
McLaren had looked like they could wrap up the title after a one-two in the weekend sprint but everything went awry when Lando Norris was handed a heavy 10 second stop/go penalty for failing to slow for yellow flags.
That dropped the Briton out of the points from second but he fought back to 10th with fastest lap.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was also slowed by a puncture, finishing sixth with Alpine's Pierre Gasly an impressive fifth.
Fernando Alonso was seventh for Aston Martin and China's Zhou Guanyu scored Sauber's first points of the season with eighth.
"Karma is a wonderful thing. You definitely did not drive unnecessarily slowly today. Great job," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner over the team radio after Verstappen took the chequered flag.
Stewards had demoted the champion from pole position on Sunday for driving too slowly, with Mercedes' Russell starting from the top slot but finishing fourth, Reuters reported.
McLaren had looked like they could wrap up the title after a one-two in the weekend sprint but everything went awry when Lando Norris was handed a heavy 10 second stop/go penalty for failing to slow for yellow flags.
That dropped the Briton out of the points from second but he fought back to 10th with fastest lap.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was also slowed by a puncture, finishing sixth with Alpine's Pierre Gasly an impressive fifth.
Fernando Alonso was seventh for Aston Martin and China's Zhou Guanyu scored Sauber's first points of the season with eighth.
- with reporting fromReuters
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