F1 returned to Doha last weekend and brought a challenging race for everyone. Those who rose above their competitors deserve their praise.
Racing in Qatar proved to be one of the most physically demanding tracks on the calendar. Every driver was pushed to the absolute limit in the Qatar Grand Prix. The tire strategies changed, the heat was hard on the drivers, and the sand was blowing all over the track. However, there are a select few who dealt with this challenge head-on and showcased their abilities all weekend. Which drivers earned their spot and should be applauded for their mega effort in Qatar?
1.) Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen claimed his third consecutive championship on Saturday after the Qatar sprint race. Verstappen’s third title seemingly was never an “if,” it was a matter of “when.” Besides his one uncharacteristic weekend in Singapore, Verstappen has been in a league of his own. He continued his dominance in Qatar and won the race without any struggle.
People may be getting bored with watching the Dutch driver dominate every race, but he deserves full praise for his hard work. He is a three-time champion and earned his titles in one of the most grueling weekends on the calendar. Verstappen was able to avoid mistakes and coast to a race win of the Qatar Grand Prix. A performance like this is what we have all come to expect from the reigning champion and his dominant path to victory has been unlike anything we have ever seen.
2.) Oscar Piastri
Piastri managed to win the sprint race on Saturday and cement his name as a future star in Formula 1. He has been one of the top performers since the Summer break and showcased his brilliance once again. He was able to snatch pole position during the sprint shootout and battle George Russell for the sprint race win. And then he was able to make up for his mistakes in qualifying by passing the colliding Mercedes and jumping from sixth to second. He would then go on to finish the Qatar Grand Prix and take his spot on the second step of the podium.
Piastri has done more than enough to be considered an F1 star and he is still only in his rookie season. He will carry this momentum with him throughout the rest of the season and look to secure another podium in Austin. At this rate, McLaren will pass the Aston Martin team with ease and secure P4 in the Constructor’s Championship.
3.) Lando Norris
Lando Norris has been a man on a mission ever since Silverstone and will push hard to secure his first-ever race win. Norris competed at a high level all weekend but had to push through his own mistakes to manage a P3 race finish. He had to start his race on Sunday from tenth place after exceeding track limits during qualifying. Nevertheless, Norris should be applauded for his race and his battle up to the podium. This was a very difficult weekend to push through the field, but he coped wonderfully and his team even secured the new fastest pit stop in F1.
If Norris can put things together for the length of an entire weekend, then his maiden win should not be too far off on the horizon. Look for him to push hard throughout the rest of the calendar and inch closer to Verstappen and challenge him for a race win.
4.) Esteban Ocon
Battle through the elements. Esteban Ocon pushed his body to the limits in Doha and managed to secure valuable points for his team. After 15 laps in the brutal elements that Qatar presented, Ocon vomited in the cockpit of his car but refused to give up. In a race where we saw drivers struggle with dehydration and diminishing physical states, Ocon managed to finish the race in seventh place.
Formula 1 is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports in the world, and Esteban Ocon demonstrated his willpower in Doha. The Alpine team has struggled this season, but this result should give them confidence moving forward.
5.) Alfa Romeo
This was a big race for the Alfa Romeo team. Both drivers managed to finish in the points for the first time this season. Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas finished in the P8 and P9 places. Moreover, Bottas was able to make it to Q3 and start the race from ninth. However, a story that has not received much attention from this race is that Zhou managed to finish the race in 9th after starting from last.
Alfa Romeo was able to maintain a great strategy and should be recognized as one of the top performers in Qatar. Moving forward, they need to carry this success to COTA and beyond. The pairing of Bottas and Zhou should be able to score double points again before the season’s end.
