Race Notes - Verstappen cruises to Qatar win

By Mark Karp

Max Verstappen easily won the Qatar Grand Prix in his Red Bull-Honda, 4.833 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri in his McLaren-Mercedes. His team mate Lando Norris finished third, 5.969 seconds behind the winner.

The win is Verstappen’s 14th win for the 2023 season, and 49th career win.

George Russell (34.119s) in the Mercedes GP finished fourth, followed by Charles Leclerc (38.976s) in the Ferrari was fifth, Fernando Alonso (49.032s) in the Aston Martin-Mercedes was sixth, Esteban Ocon (1m02.390s) in the Alpine-Renault was seventh, Valteri Bottas (1m06.563s) in the Alfa Romeo-Ferrari was eighth, Guanyu Zhou (1m16,127s) in the second Alfa Romeo was ninth and Sergio Pérez (1m20.181s) in the second Red Bull took the final point in tenth.

Before the start it was decided that there would be three mandatory stops for all drivers in the race - cars only permitted to run for 18 laps.

Verstappen starts from pole with Russell alongside on the front row, Hamilton and Alonso on row 2, Leclerc and Piastri on row 3, Gasly and Ocon on row 4 and Bottas and Norris rounding out the top ten. All drivers in the top ten are on medium tyres except Hamilton and Bottas.

Perez pitlane Sainz did not start.

At the appointed time the field came around, the lights went off and the race began with Verstappen takes the lead, Hamilton hits Russell into the first corner and spins out, Russell limps back to the pits. Hamilton is stranded in the gravel trap. The safety car is out. Russell pits and rejoins 18th.

Behind the safety car Verstappen leads Piastri, Alonso, Leclerc, Ocon, Norris, Gasly, Tsunoda, Bottas and Hulkenberg in tenth.

A number of cars pit.

At the end of lap 4 the safety car comes in and the race resumes with Verstappen in the lead.

Perez in 13th and Russell are battling.

On lap 6 Hulkenberg passes Tsunoda for eighth. Russell passes Perez for 13th.

Hulkenberg is given a 10-second penalty for being out of position on the grid at the start.

On lap 7 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m29.083s.

On lap 8 Russell passes Zhou for 12th, then latter in the lap passes Sargeant for 11th.

On lap 10 Tsunoda pits for medium tyres and rejoins 18th.

On lap 11, Ocon pits for medium tyres and rejoins 17th.

On lap 12 Alonso pits for medium tyres, Gasly pits as well.

On lap 13 Piastri and Leclerc pit for medium tyres and rejoin 13th and 14th.

On lap 14, Norris and Hulkenberg pit..

Russell pits from second for medium tyres and rejoins 15th.

On lap 15 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m28.713 and 1m27.875s the next lap.

Piastri passes Stroll for sixth.

On lap 18 Verstappen pits from the lead for medium tyres and rejoins second. Perez pits as well and rejoins 16th.

Piastri passes Bottas for fourth.

On lap 19 Albon pits from the lead for medium tyres and rejoins in 14th.

Norris passes Leclerc for sixth place.

Stroll lets Alonso past for fourth.

At lap 20 Verstappen leads Piastri by 7.4 seconds, followed by Alonso (11.9s), Bottas (13.4s), Stroll (14.8s), Norris (14.9s), Leclerc (17.0s), Ocon (19.0s), Gasly (21.0s), Russell (21.7s) in tenth.

On lap 22, Stroll, Bottas, Magnussen and Lawson all pit.

On lap 23 Perez sets fast lap at 1m27.687s.

On lap 26 Piastri pits from second for medium tyres and rejoins eighth.

Leclerc pits as well and rejoins14th. Alonso pits and rejoins eighth, Gail pits and rejoins 14th.

Perez is given a 5-second penalty for track limits.

On lap 28 Norris pits and rejoins seventh ahead of Alonso.

Piastri is battling Albon and passes him for fourth.

At lap 30 Verstappen leads Russell by 22.8 seconds, followed by Perez (29.7s), Piastri (35.2s), Albon (38.0s), Norris (40.7s), Zhou (42.7s), Alonso (43,5s), Bottas (48.6s), and Leclerc (50.8s) in tenth.

On lap 32 Norris sets fast lap at 1m26.216s)

On lap 33 Perez and Albon pit for medium and hard tyres.

Tsunoda passes Albon for 14th.

Russell pits from second for hard tyres and rejoins fifth.

Alonso goes off track but comes back on and Leclerc gets past for sixth.

On lap 35 Verstappen pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins still in the lead.

Russell passes Zhou for fourth.

Sargeant is reporting that he is feeling unwell.

Zhou pits and rejoins 15th.

Gasly passes Stroll for ninth.

Perez gets a second penalty for track limits.

Zhou passes Tsunoda for 14th.

BBottas and Stroll pit.

At lap 40 Verstappen leads Piastri by 8.0 seconds, followed by Norris (11.3s), Russell (23.0s), Leclerc (30.4s), Alonso (34.3s), Ocon (40.2s), Gasly (43.4s), Perez, (47.7s),, and Albon (55.1s) in tenth.

Sargeant pulls into the pits and retires.

Stoll is given a 5-second penalty for track limits.

On lap 44 Piastri pits from second for hard tyres.

Leclerc, Ocon and Perez pit.

On lap 48 Verstappen sets fastest lap at 1m25.475s.

On lap Norris pits and rejoins behind Piastri.

Alonso, Gasly and Albon pit.

On lap 45 Piastri sets fast lap at 1m25.353s.

On lap 46 Norris sets fast lap at 1m24.881s and again the next lap at 1m24.842s.

McLaren tells Norris that they will hold positions to the finish, and Norris asks why.

Albon is handed a 5-second penalty for track limits.

At lap 50 Verstappen leads Russell by 25.6 seconds, followed by Piastri (34.3s), Norris (36.1s), Leclerc (1m00.3s), Zhou (1m08.8s), Alonso (1m11.8s), Ocon (1m17.5s), Bottas (1m24.3s), and Stroll in tenth.

On lap 51 Russell pits for soft tyres and rejoins fourth.

On lap 52 Verstappen pits from the lead for medium tyres and rejoins still in the lead.

On lap 53 Gasly passes Stroll, but is off the road.

Zhou pits and rejoins 12th. Gasly gives the position back - Perez passes both of them,

Stroll is handed a 5-second penalty for track limits.

On lap 56 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m24.319s.

At the finish Verstappen wins over Piastri and Norris.