5 Winners and 5 Losers from the Qatar GP

Max Verstappen got the job done in Qatar, clinching his third world championship in commanding fashion. There was joy elsewhere in the paddock too, particularly if you were of the papaya variety, but not everyone left Doha in such high spirits. We’ve picked out five winners and five losers from the weekend's action at the Lusail International Circuit...

Winner: Max Verstappen

Second in Saturday’s Sprint was easily enough for Max Verstappen to clinch a third world title, moving the Dutchman up alongside greats including Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and Sir Jackie Stewart.

Though the title was already in the bag before Sunday’s race, Verstappen didn’t ease off the gas in the main event as he powered to his 14th win in 17 Grands Prix this season.

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - OCTOBER 08: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull — Red Bull were able to fully celebrate Verstappen's title after the race

In doing so, he broke Sebastian Vettel’s record of most laps led in a single season – with five races still to go – and now leads Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez by a massive 200 points (the previous largest winning margin ever is 155, by Vettel in 2013).

It was a brutally dominant performance befitting of F1’s newest triple world champion.

Loser: Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz has been in fine form since the summer break, highlighted by scoring the only non-Red Bull win so far in 2023 with an impressive performance in Singapore.

But after finishing sixth in the Sprint, he didn’t get a chance to stretch the legs of his Prancing Horse in the race as a fuel-related problem could not be fixed in time for him to take his place on the grid.

With team mate Charles Leclerc finishing fifth, the Spaniard’s lead over the sister Ferrari is now just eight points heading to Austin.

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - OCTOBER 08: Carlos Sainz of Spain and Ferrari looks on from the drivers parade — It was not to be for Sainz, who didn't even make it to the start line in Qatar

Winner: Oscar Piastri

Oscar Piastri is fast making a name for himself in F1, the Australian following up a maiden Grand Prix podium in Japan by converting a Sprint race P1 starting slot into a win.

The McLaren racer backed that up with a brilliant drive from sixth on Sunday to take second – his best-ever result in a Grand Prix and his second podium on the bounce.

His haul of 41 points across Japan and Qatar is nearly half his total score for the whole season (83) and leaves him in a very comfortable ninth in the drivers’ championship.

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - OCTOBER 08: Second placed Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren celebrates on — Piastri has been on a fine run of form since getting his hands on the McLaren upgrades

Loser: Lewis Hamilton

Having said in the heat of the moment that Mercedes team mate George Russell had taken him out of the Grand Prix at Turn 1, Lewis Hamilton conceded later that he was to blame for the collision that forced him out of the race and sent Russell tumbling to the back of the field.

Hamilton’s decision to start on the soft tyres gave him some extra zip off the line, but as he attempted to go around Russell and pole-sitter Max Verstappen, he clipped the other Silver Arrows.

This was the first time Hamilton has retired on the opening lap since the 2022 Belgium Grand Prix – and only the sixth time in his 17-year career. It was also his first DNF in 2023, ending his run of scoring in every single race so far.

Winner: Lando Norris

Lando Norris was incredibly hard on himself as mistakes in both qualifying and the Sprint Shootout cost him front row grid slots.

2023 Qatar Grand Prix: Hamilton and Russell’s Lap 1 collision

But he recovered in both events to finish P3 the Sprint and third in the Grand Prix (having started the latter back in 10th) to score a third Grand Prix podium on the bounce and a career-best fifth of the season.

With Piastri second, this was McLaren’s second consecutive double podium – a feat they last achieved back in 2010 and which moves them to within 11 points of Aston Martin in the fight for P4 in the constructors’ championship.

FACTS AND STATS: Verstappen breaks Vettel’s record for most laps led in a season

Losers: Williams

Williams were buoyant on Saturday as Alex Albon scored an unexpected point in the Sprint – the first Williams have taken in the format since it was introduced in 2021.

However, their run of Grands Prix without a score extended to three as Logan Sargeant retired from the race after suffering “intense dehydration during the race, weakened by having flu-like symptoms earlier in the week."

Albon looked to be in a position to score points – but his pace fell away as the Grand Prix went on and he crossed the line 13th before a trip to the medical centre to be treated for acute heat exposure.

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - OCTOBER 07: Alexander Albon of Thailand and Williams prepares to drive on the — It was a tough night for Williams, as Albon saw his race unravel

Winners: Alfa Romeo

This was the race Alfa Romeo have been longing for, with Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and the team executing a near perfect race to secure their first double points finish of the season.

Bottas started inside the top 10 and improved one spot to finish eighth. Zhou recovered brilliantly from 19th to take ninth, equalling his best result of the season.

The result bumps the Swiss team above Haas into eighth in the constructors’ championship, with Williams their next target seven points ahead.

Loser: Sergio Perez

Sergio Perez is in a world of pain right now, the Mexican getting blown away by Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen – most recently in Sunday’s Grand Prix at Lusail.

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - OCTOBER 08: Zhou Guanyu of China driving the (24) Alfa Romeo F1 C43 Ferrari — Zhou put in an excellent drive to climb from 19th to 9th

Hamilton’s first-lap DNF opened the door for Perez to create some breathing space between him and the Mercedes driver in the fight for P2 in the drivers’ standings.

But instead, he couldn’t keep the car inside track limits and racked up a staggering 15 seconds in time penalties for a string of infringements.

He has now failed to reach the podium in each of the last three races and while he managed a single point in 10th to extend his lead over Hamilton to 30, he knows Red Bull expect far, far better from him.

Winner: Esteban Ocon

This was one of Esteban Ocon’s strongest drives of the season, the Alpine racer crossing the line seventh (a performance bettered only this year by third in Monaco).

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - OCTOBER 07: Esteban Ocon of France and Alpine F1 prepares to drive in the — Ocon finished a tough race in the points for Alpine

It was his second successive points score, a result that moves him two behind team mate Pierre Gasly in the drivers’ standings and made all the more impressive considering he vomited inside his helmet with more than 40 laps still to go.

Losers: Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso made an uncharacteristic mistake in Sunday’s Grand Prix, skating across the gravel and rejoining to capture sixth (to follow a single point for eighth in the Sprint).

While he moves to within 11 points of third-placed Hamilton in the drivers’ standings, the ultimate pace of the car was no match for a McLaren team who are on a trajectory to overhaul Aston Martin in the constructors’ championship before the end of the season.

HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action from an entertaining Qatar Grand Prix as Verstappen leads home the McLarens

His team mate Lance Stroll failed to progress from Q1 for the fourth consecutive Grand Prix and left a fifth consecutive race weekend without a point for his efforts.