2024 F1 Round 23 Qatar Grand Prix Sprint: Piastri wins as Norris gives way before the line to finish 0.136s behind, McLaren one-two earns 15 points

The 2024 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix Sprint took place at the Lusail International Circuit on the evening of 30 November, Beijing time. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took victory after team mate Lando Norris defied the team’s instructions and “returned” the win just before the finish line. Norris followed him home 0.136s behind, securing a one-two and 15 points for McLaren. George Russell finished third, 0.410s off the winner.

Starting third, Piastri passed Russell at the start to move into second and then stayed close to leader Norris. To protect the one-two, Norris deliberately controlled the pace in the closing stages to give his team mate DRS, before slowing and giving way on the approach to the line. It was “payback” for Piastri having yielded at the earlier São Paulo event. Norris admitted afterwards: “It may have been a little riskier than expected, but I had planned to do this since Brazil. The team tried to talk me out of it, but I thought I could do it, and I did.” Back in São Paulo, Norris was still fighting Verstappen for the drivers’ title, and Piastri had given him the Sprint victory. After this latest swap, just 0.274s separated Norris from third-placed Russell, putting the one-two perilously close to being lost.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz (+1.326s) and Charles Leclerc (+5.073s) finished fourth and fifth. McLaren’s constructors’ championship lead over Ferrari grew to 30 points, with a maximum of 44 available at the Abu Dhabi finale. McLaren could therefore clinch the constructors’ title a round early if it extended its advantage in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Max Verstappen lost three places at the start and fell outside the points. He did not regain eighth until Lap 8, when he used DRS to pass Pierre Gasly at Turn 1. He made no further progress and took just one point. Yuki Tsunoda started 16th, was passed on the opening lap by Esteban Ocon and Zhou Guanyu, the only driver to start on soft tyres, and ultimately finished 17th. Zhou’s soft tyres faded quickly; both RBs passed him on Lap 7, and he pitted for mediums on Lap 12 before finishing 19th. Liam Lawson lost seven places on the opening lap and finished 16th.

Sergio Pérez and Franco Colapinto started from the pit lane after suspension set-up changes breached parc fermé restrictions. Pérez did not move away when the pit lane light went green, allowing Colapinto to pull out ahead of him. Pérez then ran at the back and pitted for a new front wing with five laps remaining, a move seen as gathering data for Sunday’s Grand Prix. Qualifying was due to take place in the early hours of 1 December, Beijing time.