LUSAIL, Qatar — Max Verstappen recently celebrated a remarkable victory in Las Vegas, marking his fourth title in the highly competitive world of Formula 1. However, the attention this week shifts to Qatar, where the race for the sport’s most lucrative cash prize intensifies.
The constructors’ championship remains a tightly contested battle, with McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull all vying for supremacy. This championship is valued at approximately $140 million for the winning team, though the actual payout may vary based on several factors.
This weekend, the dynamic of the race changes with a sprint event scheduled for Saturday, providing opportunities for teams to accrue additional points — a total of up to 59 points could be up for grabs across the weekend.
Currently, McLaren holds the lead with a 24-point advantage over Ferrari, while Verstappen’s Red Bull trails by 29 points. If McLaren performs exceptionally well this weekend, they could secure their first constructors’ title since 1998, potentially clinching the championship ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi next week. Achieving this would likely require a flawless performance from McLaren and some misfortunes for Ferrari.
For Lando Norris, McLaren’s leading driver, the focus has now shifted towards the team’s championship challenge following his recent inability to compete for the drivers’ title in Las Vegas. On Thursday, Norris downplayed Verstappen’s statements suggesting he could have claimed the championship earlier if driving a McLaren, humorously advising the Dutch driver to explore stand-up comedy instead. Norris further articulated a thought, stating, “Red Bull probably would have won the constructors’ championship if they had two drivers as skillful as Max.”
Oscar Piastri, Norris’ teammate, has significantly contributed to McLaren’s efforts, especially after winning the Qatar sprint race last year as a rookie. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s duo — Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. — have maintained a competitive presence on the track, sometimes engaging in close and intense battles.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, however, is the only driver among the top three teams who has not tasted victory this season. He sits in eighth place in the standings, with less than half of Verstappen’s points total. His disappointing performance in Vegas, where he qualified 16th and finished 10th, adds to the mounting pressure. Speculation surrounding Perez’s future has persisted throughout the year, as he expresses difficulty in adapting to the championship-winning Red Bull car.
“It’s challenging for outsiders to appreciate if they aren’t part of the team,” Perez commented Thursday. “When you can’t get the maximum performance out of your car, it doesn’t matter how good the car is, which has been my experience.”
Drivers in Qatar are expected to face significantly better conditions than they did last year. The 2022 race tested athletes like Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll, with Ocon becoming ill and Stroll close to losing consciousness due to the oppressive heat and humidity. The FIA had voiced concerns about the health implications for drivers and has now approved new cooling kits for future races in hot conditions.
Although these cooling kits will not be rolled out until next year, drivers are not likely to feel desperate for them this week. With the race weekend occurring in November and December, the weather is projected to be milder compared to the searing heat of the previous year. Stroll, for one, expressed relief, stating, “I have no desire to endure last year’s heat in Qatar again.”