Max Verstappen secured his ninth victory of the 2024 season at the Qatar Grand Prix, further solidifying his dominance in the championship with an 80-point lead over Lando Norris.
The McLaren driver had been mounting a serious challenge to Verstappen for the win when a 10-second stop-and-go penalty derailed his race. Norris was penalized for failing to slow under yellow flags, an infringement that Verstappen reported over team radio. The penalty saw Norris tumble from second to 14th, though he managed to recover to finish in 10th place.
Charles Leclerc took advantage of Norris’ misfortune to secure second place for Ferrari, narrowing the gap between himself and Norris in the drivers’ standings to just eight points as the championship heads to Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Norris’ teammate, Oscar Piastri, who had claimed victory in the Sprint race, completed the podium with an impressive third-place finish.
Further down the grid, standout performances emerged among the midfield runners. Zhou Guanyu delivered Sauber’s first points of the season with a solid eighth-place finish, while Fernando Alonso secured seventh – his best result since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Kevin Magnussen also impressed, bringing his Haas home in ninth. However, the most notable finish came from Pierre Gasly, who drove his Alpine to an exceptional fifth place, marking one of the team’s few bright spots in a challenging season.
Zinedine Zidane celebrates Gasly’s strong finish at the Qatar GP
Alpine has endured a frustrating 2024 campaign, plagued by inconsistent performance and struggling to compete for regular points finishes. Before the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the team had only managed to score 14 points over the first 20 races. However, their fortunes shifted dramatically in Brazil, where they achieved a stunning double podium in torrential rain – Esteban Ocon finishing second and Gasly third.
The Brazilian result propelled Alpine to sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship, overtaking Haas and Red Bull. With a narrow five-point lead over Haas heading into Abu Dhabi, Alpine is locked in an intense midfield battle where millions of dollars are at stake.
Gasly’s fifth-place finish in Qatar further solidified Alpine’s advantage. Steering clear of incidents, he delivered his second-best performance of the year, following his podium in Sao Paulo.
The French driver’s standout result caught the attention of one of football’s legendary figures, Zinedine Zidane. The former Real Madrid star and Ballon d’Or winner used his Instagram story to congratulate Gasly on his impressive effort in Qatar, offering a rare intersection of praise from the worlds of motorsport and football: “P5! Bravo Pierre! Congratulations @pierregasly @alpinef1team @alpinecars.” – the former footballer posted.
This will undoubtedly be a special moment, as Gasly has long idolized Zidane and even races with the No. 10 on his car in homage to the iconic number the 52-year-old football legend wore during his time with the French national team.
Pierre Gasly set for a new teammate at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
As Formula 1 prepares for its grand finale in Abu Dhabi, Gasly will be looking to carry forward his strong momentum and contribute to Alpine’s quest to secure sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship. However, the French driver will face this challenge with a new teammate sharing the garage.
Alpine’s 2025 recruit, Jack Doohan, is set to make his Formula 1 debut at the Yas Marina Circuit, stepping in as Esteban Ocon leaves the team early to begin his transition to Haas. This change presents a fresh dynamic for the Enstone-based squad as they aim to consolidate their position ahead of rivals Haas and Red Bull.
For Doohan, this debut is a golden opportunity to showcase his potential in F1 machinery before officially joining the sport full-time in 2025. The young Australian driver, who has already earned a reputation for his skill and speed in Formula 2, will be eager to make a strong impression on the team and the paddock.
Abu Dhabi is a circuit where Doohan has previously excelled, thanks to his standout performances in Formula 2. Alpine will hope that the Aussie can translate that success to Formula 1 and provide a crucial boost in the battle for the midfield. Both the team and their new talent are under pressure to deliver as the season reaches its conclusion, with every point carrying significant weight in the championship standings.
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