F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Race reaction as Verstappen vents fury at Russell after penalty drama
F1 race reaction as Verstappen wins in Qatar and Lando Norris drops down the field after a late penalty
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Your support makes all the difference.Max Verstappen followed up securing his fourth world championship by winning a chaotic Qatar Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton suffered another miserable evening in his penultimate Mercedes appearance.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton was penalised twice by the stewards and said his car was “broken” as he finished down in 12th spot in a race which saw Verstappen claim a dominant win.
Lando Norris had been on course to finish runner-up, but he was dealt a severe 10-second stop-and-go penalty for failing to slow under waved yellows, dropping him to 10th.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took advantage of Norris’ demise to take second place, six seconds behind Verstappen, and one spot ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri. Russell finished fourth.
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Norris surging through the field (Lap 52/57)
Norris now up to P12, and he could still get a point yet for McLaren!
Out in front, Verstappen’s lead to Leclerc is 5.1 seconds.
Top-10:Verstappen, Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Gasly, Sainz, Alonso, Zhou, Magnussen, Bottas
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Norris and Hamilton in the final two positions (Lap 49/57)
What a difference those penalties have made to this race!
Max Verstappen has a comfortable lead to Charles Leclerc of 4.3 seconds.
Top-10: Verstappen, Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Gasly, Sainz, Alonso, Zhou, Magnussen, Albon
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lewis Hamilton receives a penalty (Lap 48/57)
And now Hamilton has a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit-lane!
Hamilton is asking to retire!
But he doesn’t! Hamilton drops to last behind Norris...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lando Norris serves penalty (Lap 46/57)
What a shock that is! Hell of a call from the stewards!
Norris serves his stop and he drops to last in P15!
Blimey!
Norris: “For what?”
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lando Norris receives a penalty! (Lap 44/57)
Wow, this is huge for the race and for the constructors’ championship!
Lando Norris has been given a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags!
Norris has to serve the penalty within the next three laps!
Big old penalty that!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Max Verstappen keeps the lead! (Lap 43/57)
A much better restart from Verstappen this time as he keeps P1, while Norris has to defend hard on the inside at turn 1 from Leclerc in third!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Lando Norris under investigation (Lap 42/57)
Trouble for Lando!
He’s under investigation for failing to slow down when there were double yellow flags on the home straight!
Replays show he did not lift. He may be in trouble!
Safety car coming in...
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Perez and Hulkenberg out! (Lap 41/57)
Brilliant action there at the restart!
Perez and Hulkenberg are out though - another nightmare end to a race weekend for the Mexican!
Top-10: Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Gasly, Sainz, Alonso, Zhou, Magnussen
Verstappen did so so well to hold the lead at the start there!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Safety car comes in! (Lap 39/57)
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen were neck and neck after the restart, but the Red Bull just stays ahead!
Pierre Gasly runs wide for Alpine at turn one!
All action at the restart!
Sergio Perez, meanwhile, has “lost drive” and then got hit at turn 15! Nico Hulkenberg is also out of the race and is in the gravel!
Virtual safety car!
F1 Qatar GP LIVE: Cars going through the pit-lane (Lap 38/57)
Given the debris on the main straight, the cars are being led through the pit-lane!
Top-10: Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Perez, Gasly, Russell, Sainz, Zhou, Alonso
Great chance for Sauber to get their first points with Zhou Guanyu in ninth!
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