McLaren enjoyed a 1-2 finish at the sprint race in Qatar today, with an unexpected twist at the end. The successful result has given them the upper hand in their Constructors’ Championship battle with Ferrari.
Teamwork makes the dream work for McLaren
Following a successful Qatar Sprint race, McLaren have extended their lead in the Constructors’ Championship to 30 points over Ferrari.
It was a 1-2 finish for McLaren, whose strategy helped keep Mercedes behind, and in turn, Ferrari, who finished fourth and fifth.
A successful strategy
Lando Norris secured pole position for the sprint race in an impressive performance during sprint qualifying, with George Russell’s Mercedes splitting the two McLarens.
At the start, Oscar Piastri wasted no time, snatching P2 from Russell by the end of Lap 1, while Norris converted his pole into an early lead.
Despite Russell’s strong pace, McLaren’s strategic calls kept the Mercedes at bay. Norris, showing greater pace than his teammate, worked with the team to maintain a close gap to Piastri, providing the Australian with DRS.
This tactical move ensured Russell never held the sole DRS advantage, hampering his overtaking efforts.
Russell’s repeated attempts to pass Piastri proved futile, much to his frustration and McLaren’s delight.
McLaren’s teamwork reached its peak in the final moments of the race. As Norris approached the finish line in P1, he moved aside to let Piastri through, gifting the Australian his second-ever sprint win.
The bold move was not without risk, as Russell loomed dangerously close. However, Norris crossed the line three-tenths ahead of the Mercedes, ensuring a double celebration for the Papaya team.
READ MORE: Will McLaren Win the Constructors’ Title at the Qatar GP?
A Perfectly Orchestrated 1-2
Lando Norris, despite giving away what was an assured win was in a positive mood after the sprint.
“We scored 1-2, that’s what we were aiming for today. We’ve got maximum points, so we’re happy. As a team, we have executed things perfectly.
The pace was good. I could have probably pushed a little bit more than what I was doing but we wanted to keep the others behind, so we tried to help out and not let George get too close. We did our job and that’s the main thing.” – Lando Norris.
Oscar Piastri was naturally delighted to cross the finish line in P1.
“It was about defence for the whole race to be honest. I had a good start and a good Turn 1, and then I struggled a bit for the rest of the Sprint.” – Oscar Piastri.
The Australian also didn’t fail to credit his teammate throughout the sprint
“Without that help it would have been a much more difficult sprint.” – Oscar Piastri.
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren was ecstatic as well and gave interesting insight to the finish line stunt that Norris pulled.
“Lando [Norris] and Oscar [Piastri] have been great teammates, and I think it just showed how much they were helping each other and ultimately racing for the team. Oscar helped Lando out a little bit in Brazil, and Lando said ‘thank you’. The plan all along was to try and finish 1-2. That [Norris letting Piastri through] was Lando’s decision.
“I think we’re going to have a close race. Hopefully we’ll have a strong qualifying again. The wind dying down a little bit is good for us. I think Lando had some more pace, so we need to find a little bit more pace on Oscar’s car, and see if we can repeat it and make a little more exciting.” – Zak Brown speaking to F1TV.
READ NEXT: Will a 2024 F1 Academy Champion be Crowned in Qatar?
