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Qatar GP: Lewis Hamilton takes vital pole as Max Verstappen faces potential grid penalty

Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton gestures after the qualifying session ahead of the Qatari Formula One Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit, on the outskirts of the capital city of Doha, on November 20, 2021 - AFP
Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton gestures after the qualifying session ahead of the Qatari Formula One Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit, on the outskirts of the capital city of Doha, on November 20, 2021 - AFP
  • Lewis Hamilton takes pole by 0.455s ahead of Max Verstappen

  • Verstappen summoned to stewards after allegedly ignoring yellow flags

  • Mercedes boss Toto Wolff warns that things might be about to turn “dirty”

It never rains but it pours in Formula 1. Even in the desert. A week that has already seen more claims and counter-claims than a tense legal drama ended with Max Verstappen summoned to the stewards for ignoring yellow flags on his final flying lap in Saturday's final qualifying session.

The hearing, which has been set for 1pm local time (10am GMT) on Sunday, is unlikely to last long. But it could have major ramifications for this year’s title race.

If found guilty, Red Bull’s championship leader can expect a grid penalty, most likely three or five places, which would drop the Dutchman down to fifth or seventh on the grid for the Qatar Grand Prix. That may be too much for a driver even of Verstappen’s prodigious talent.

In fact, with Lewis Hamilton taking a dominant pole, by nearly half a second from Verstappen, and with the threat of a Red Bull protest over Mercedes’ rear wing seemingly over, the strong likelihood is Hamilton is going to reduce his 14-point deficit in the championship and take this title race right to the wire in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.

What a season. And that is even before we get to Toto Wolff’s warning that things might be about to turn “dirty”.

Pole position qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 20, 2021 in Doha, Qatar - Hamad I Mohammed - Pool/Getty Images
Pole position qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 20, 2021 in Doha, Qatar - Hamad I Mohammed - Pool/Getty Images

Speaking after Hamilton’s commanding qualifying performance, the Mercedes team principal accused stewards of utterly failing to clarify what was or was not acceptable in terms of wheel-to-wheel racing this season following Hamilton and Verstappen’s ding-dong in Brazil last weekend.

Drivers met with stewards for over an hour on Friday night to thrash things out following the incident on lap 48 of that grand prix, but apparently emerged none the wiser.

The issue is one of consistency. Drivers have been punished on more than one occasion this year for “pushing” other cars off track; refusing to give up a corner even when it looked as if the other car had taken it. Lando Norris in Austria and Hamilton at Silverstone spring to mind.

But the stewards’ decision not to punish Verstappen for a similar offence in Brazil - Verstappen braking late into Turn 4 and then running off the track himself rather than turning in, forcing Hamilton to go even wider around him - set a “very dangerous” precedent according to Wolff.

"In my opinion, what it says is you can just launch yourself into a corner and drag the other car out of line,” Wolff argued. “And that obviously can lead to quite some ‘dirtier’ driving going forward.

"We don't want to have a messy situation tomorrow, or in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, because that would be really bad."

He added: “I think it’s very dangerous because what happened yesterday and also in Brazil is kicking the ball into the high grass and then the ball disappears. If we have a similar situation, the controversy this could create, simply because it wasn’t clarified... I wouldn’t have wished that even if the outcome was negative for us.”

Wolff was not alone in feeling confused. Both Hamilton and Verstappen admitted they were unclear about what constituted “hard and fair racing” in the wake of the stewards’ briefing.

Hamilton admitted he did not know what he could or could not get away with. Asked what conclusions he drew from the stewards’ decision to deny Mercedes’ right of review and look again at Verstappen’s driving, he replied: “That what happened at the last race is okay?”

Verstappen, sitting next to him, looked nonplussed by the entire line of questioning, adding that too many non-drivers were sticking their oars in. “I think it’s important we discuss these things with the experts rather than throw things around on social media,” he said.

Perhaps he just had the knowledge of his impending trip to the steward on his mind. Confirmation of his summons had not yet been announced when he spoke to the media, but Verstappen must have suspected he would be up before the beak. Both Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz have also been summoned for similar charges.

What a season. There are so many moving parts in F1 at the moment Wolff admitted it was “hard to keep up”, although there is perhaps one less than Saturday.

Red Bull appeared to suggest that Mercedes’ rear wing, about which they have been in such a flap, was no longer an issue following the introduction of more stringent flexibility load tests in Qatar.

“The load test is doing its job because [Mercedes’] straight-line speed is under control [now],” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed. "Suddenly we’re in line and we haven’t seen that for four or five races.”

In line pace-wise, perhaps. But will Verstappen be in line with Hamilton on Sunday's grid? That remains in the hands of the stewards.

Qatar Grand Prix qualifying classification

  1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 1min 20.827secs

  2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 1:21.282

  3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 1:21.478

  4. Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri 1:21.640

  5. Fernando Alonso, Alpine 1:21.670

  6. Lando Norris, McLaren 1:21.731

  7. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari 1:21.840

  8. Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri 1:21.881

  9. Esteban Ocon, Alpine 1:22.028

  10. Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin 1:22.785

  11. Sergio Perez, Red Bull 1:22.346

  12. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin 1:22.460

  13. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari 1:22.463

  14. Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren 1:22.597

  15. George Russell, Williams 1:22.756

  16. Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo 1:23.156

  17. Nicholas Latifi, Williams 1:23.213

  18. Antonio Giovinazzi, Aston Martin 1:23.262

  19. Mick Schumacher, Haas 1:23.407

  20. Nikita Mazepin, Haas 1:25.859


Qatar Grand Prix qualifying, as it happened


03:42 PM

Looks like the test on the Mercedes rear wing is ongoing

We'll let you know if anything happens about that. But for the time being, thanks for joining me and I'll be back tomorrow from around 12.45 for the build up to the Qatar Grand Prix.


03:30 PM

It is obviously not ideal for Red Bull to have Perez down in 11th

But I don't think it's quite as bad as it seems. Quite often the second drivers of the top two teams have rarely been much of a feature after the first few laps. Certainly that was the case for Perez in Brazil and in Mexico. He drove well in those races, yes, but he did not have too much influence on what happened ahead.

Sergio Perez of Mexico and Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage during final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 20, 2021 in Doha, Qatar - Getty Images Europe 
Sergio Perez of Mexico and Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage during final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 20, 2021 in Doha, Qatar - Getty Images Europe

03:22 PM

Christian Horner also speaks to Sky Sports F1

They were massively quick. I think their straight line speed has come down a bit. It looks very similar to our straight line speed now. Lewis made all his time in turn six and seven, particularly on that last lap. From what we've seen on the straight line speed it looks normal... just a very strong lap from Lewis.

I think it's going to be about who gets into turn one... to follow closely [with these sequence of corners] it comes down to strategy... tyre degradation...

Qualifying is disappointing. To be second... could have quite easily been third here. Max has got every ounce of performance out of the car today. Hopefully we can have a better race car.


03:16 PM

Toto Wolff speaks to Sky Sports F1

I think there is that little bit of too much focus and emphasis on politics and too much off-track trash talk. I think everybody in the performance group... they did a fantastic job. We're understanding the car much better. You can see how quickly it can swing. You just need to be vigilant.

The car is good and solid. We just need to finish good tomorrow. Score some points, get some back and maybe go to Abu Dhabi and whoever wins, wins the championship.

I think we'd probably want 1-3.... it's on the cleaner line. We should be okay there but you never know, if Max gets a good start... or comes out in the lead it's much more difficult.

Toto Wolff - AFP

He says there's no worries about his car failing an FIA load test on their rear wing.


03:09 PM

Hamilton reacts to another pole position

Yesterday was a really difficult day for me... I wasn't feeling too well. I was just off yesterday. I was here till midnight last night working with the engineers and found a lot of areas where I can improve. That last lap was beautiful. It felt good.

Being that it's such a fast circuit, I don't think that it's the easiest of circuits to follow but it's also not massively degrading on the tyres.


03:07 PM

Verstappen reacts to his second place

I think, yeah, just lacking a bit of pace. I think it's been just a bit more tricky for us again in qualifying. You could clearly see that... it shows that we are struggling a bit more than normal. But still second, so still all to play for.

We have never really done a race here, so there are a lot of unknowns. I don't really think about these things [strategy] too much. We have to [focus] on our start and see.


03:06 PM

Q3 - CLASSIFICATION

  1. HAM 1:20.827
  2. VER +0.455
  3. BOT +0.651
  4. GAS +0.813
  5. ALO +0.843
  6. NOR +0.904
  7. SAI +1.013
  8. TSU +1.054
  9. OCO +1.201
  10. VET +1.958

It's possible that Verstappen and Bottas backed off a bit when they saw the debris or were told about Gasly. Still, neither of them really looked like challenging Hamilton in that final run. Verstappen was up after two sectors in his first run but Hamilton's speed was brutal on his last lap.


03:04 PM

LEWIS HAMILTON TAKES POLE POSITION FOR THE 2021 QATAR GRAND PRIX

Well, that is exactly what the doctor ordered. A big, big margin to Verstappen behind him.

"I tried," Verstappen says on the radio. Had no answer for Hamilton's pace. He's also vulnerable to Bottas behind him going into turn one tomorrow. Doesn't mean he can't lead at the end of lap one of the race tomorrow but it looks a big task to win the race.


03:03 PM

Q3 - Verstappen does improve...

But he's a whopping 0.455s slower than Lewis Hamilton. He's ahead of Valtteri Bottas, at least... but small mercies. That is a bad, bad day for Red Bull with Sergio Perez.

Gasly had a tyre failure after front wing debris tore into his front right following a big impact on the kerb.


03:02 PM

Q3 - Verstappen down on where he needs to be in sector one

But the good news is that Bottas is unlikely to improve, either.

Gasly has a puncture in the final sector... he's crawling across the line.

Bottas doesn't improve and Verstappen looks unlikely to better his previous time, too... regardless of whatever happened to Gasly. No yellow flags though, so it's all good.


03:01 PM

Q3 - Hamilton SMASHES the best first sector time

He's three tenths up on his previous best!

He goes quicker than anyone else in the middle sector too. The amount of time Verstappen needs to find now is enormous.

Hamilton crosses the line and beats his previous best by 0.435s quicker!

That surely cannot be beaten...


02:59 PM

Q3 - Verstappen will be the last driver to cross the line

Hamilton might not be far off catching him up at the end of the lap. Well, a few corners, anyway...

Hamilton begins his final hot lap...


02:58 PM

Q3 - Hamilton goes out early

With just under four minutes on the clock. Wonder who else will join him? Tsunoda does, at least. And then the rest come.


02:55 PM

Q3 - Order and gaps after the first runs

  1. HAM 1:21.262
  2. VER +0.162
  3. BOT +0.216
  4. GAS +0.378
  5. ALO +0.408
  6. SAI +0.578
  7. NOR +0.831
  8. TSU +0.888
  9. OCO +1.165
  10. VET +1.523

02:54 PM

Q3 - Hamilton with a 1:21.262s to go fastest

Bottas can't beat that - 0.216s slower - but Verstappen is very close to Hamilton's time after two sectors. Can he do it? Will take a mighty final few corners.

Verstappen loses time in the final sector but is second, 0.162s slower than Hamilton. Not enormous, but that will be difficult to find on the second runs.

Gasly fourth, Sainz fifth.


02:53 PM

Q3 - Hamilton posts a 26.757s in the first sector...

...Bottas beats that marginally.

A 26.991 for Hamilton in sector two.

Verstappen is a little further behind but he goes fastest of all by a tenth or so in S1...


02:51 PM

Q3 - Each of the top 10 out at the start of the session

A word again for Pierre Gasly. Wonder if he can make it onto the second row? I'd say it's more likely to happen than not.


02:49 PM

GREEN LIGHT: Q3 BEGINS

Can anyone stop Hamilton? Can Verstappen at least get it on the front row?


02:47 PM

It is not looking promising for Red Bull at the moment

Hamilton looking very likely to claim pole position... but for tomorrow's race Sergio Perez will be starting 11th. Could be two against one for Mercedes.


02:45 PM

Q2 - HAMILTON QUICKEST

Here's the drivers who are through.

  1. HAM 1:21.682

  2. GAS +0.046

  3. ALO +0.212

  4. VER +0.302

  5. BOT +0.309

  6. OCO +0.330

  7. TSU +0.376

  8. VET +0.464

  9. NOR +0.534

  10. SAI +0.559

Perez was just 0.005s from making it through. Not enough.


02:43 PM

Q2 ENDS: DRIVERS ELIMINATED

11. PER
12. STR
13. LEC
14. RIC
15. RUS

That's not great from Perez. His qualifying had been much improved in recent races. Not today. Eveno n the soft tyres he was still three tenths down from Verstappen.


02:42 PM

Q2 - Final runs under way

Russell stays in the garage. So that lap was his last. He will be out. Leclerc not looking like improving as it stands. He has moved onto the soft tyres.

Sainz stays eighth. Norris improves to eight, knocking Sainz down.

Can Leclerc get through? No! He's 11th at absolute best.

Stroll knocks him down to 11th. Can Ricciardo get out of the session? No... only 13th.

Ocon and Vettel are confirmed as good as through, as is Alonso. No need for them to finish their laps but they do - Alonso going third on the softs!

It's over to Perez now... he will be the last man to cross the line... HE'S ONLY 11TH! That's not great at all.


02:39 PM

Q2 - Hamilton out on the softs

As is Perez, who is in 12th and needs to find his way out of this session. Verstappen also out on the softs. Not sure whether Verstappen and Hamilton will set a lap time on them, though. I think they would prefer to start on the medium tyres.

Two minutes remain.


02:37 PM

Q2 - Russell, currently in 13th, is on another lap

Williams have been a little off the pace in recent rounds, especially to their earlier point-scoring run.

Sparks fly behind George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Williams Racing FW43B Mercedes during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 20, 2021 in Doha, Qatar - Getty Images Europe 
Sparks fly behind George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Williams Racing FW43B Mercedes during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 20, 2021 in Doha, Qatar - Getty Images Europe

He crosses the line and does not improve his position. Stays 13th.


02:35 PM

Q2 - Current order and gaps

  1. HAM 1:21.682
  2. GAS +0.298
  3. VER +0.302
  4. BOT +0.309
  5. TSU +0.376
  6. ALO +0.386
  7. OCO +0.496
  8. SAI +0.559
  9. VET +0.592
  10. STR +0.896

DROP ZONE: NOR, PER, RUS, RIC, LEC


02:34 PM

Q2 - Vettel with a decent lap

Goes seventh, six-tenths off. Ocon then sixth. Stroll ninth, just a few tenths off Vettel. Alonso was quickest of anyone in the first sector and goes sixth fastest overall, 0.386s off Hamilton but on the soft tyres, though.

Leclerc is sounding a little baffled on the radio. He says he doesn't know where he is losing the time nor where he is going to find it.

He's 15th and last in this session, 1.437s off the pace.


02:33 PM

Q2 - Top 10

  1. HAM
  2. GAS
  3. VER
  4. BOT
  5. TSU
  6. SAI
  7. NOR
  8. PER
  9. RUS
  10. RIC

Still a few drivers setting lap times: Alonso, Vettel, Stroll and Ocon.


02:32 PM

Q2 - Verstappen moves second

He's also three tenths down but quicker than Bottas by 0.007s.

Hmmmm. Hamilton looking to have the upper hand at the moment.

Verstappen doesn't stay second for too long as Gasly moves into second on the soft tyres, 0.298s adrift of Hamilton.


02:31 PM

Q2 - It's a steady first sector for Hamilton

Though he goes quickest in the middle sector. Verstappen is there or thereabouts.

Hamilton crosses the line with a 1:21.682. Bottas is three tenths adrift.

What does Verstappen do?


02:29 PM

Q2 - Pretty busy out there at the moment

11 drivers out and most of them on the medium tyres. Russell and the AlphaTauris are the only cars on the softs.

Gasly did his Q1 on the mediums.

Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Losail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - November 20, 2021 AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly during qualifying - REUTERS/Pool 
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Losail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - November 20, 2021 AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly during qualifying - REUTERS/Pool

Hamilton and Bottas start their hot laps, as does Verstappen.


02:26 PM

Q2 BEGINS

15 minutes to go, five drivers to go out and 10 to go through.


02:23 PM

Q1 - Hamilton quickest

These drivers are through:

  1. HAM 1:21.901

  2. VER +0.095

  3. BOT +0.115

  4. SAI +0.403

  5. PER +0.497

  6. ALO +0.521

  7. TSU +0.557

  8. GAS +0.634

  9. VET +0.648

  10. STR +0.650

  11. OCO +0.664

  12. RIC +0.787

  13. LEC +0.841

  14. NOR +0.938

  15. RUS +0.962


02:21 PM

Q1 ENDS

Drivers eliminated: RUS, RAI, LAT, GIO, MSC, MAZ

Mazepin a whopping 2.4s slower than Mick Schumacher, his team-mate. To be fair he has been hampered by a severe lack of running this weekend and had a broken front wing at the start of the season.


02:20 PM

Q1 - Leclerc out of danger in 11th with the fastest final sector

Russell into 12th. Hamilton quickest overall by a tenth. Ocon complained of vibrations and needs to find a lap time and he does, to go 10th. He's through.


02:19 PM

Q1 - Final runs under way

Giovinazzi crosses the line in 16th so is confirmed as being out. Vettel up to sixth. Sainz into fourth.


02:19 PM

Q1 - Bit of a traffic jam in the final sector

Hamilton is on the team radio to note as much. Don't think anyone is in danger of not making it across the line as it stands.

Latifi and Raikkonen might struggle.


02:17 PM

Q1 - Drivers in the drop zone

16. STR
17. RAI
18. GIO
19. MSC
20. MAZ

Charles Leclerc hovering above in 15th, a tenth off elimination as it stands.


02:16 PM

Q1 - Updated Top 10

  1. VER 1:22.996
  2. BOT +0.020
  3. HAM +0.023
  4. PER +0.402
  5. ALO +0.592
  6. SAI +0.653
  7. GAS +0.810
  8. NOR +0.843
  9. TSU +0.926
  10. RUS +0.973

Great lap time from Gasly. The only man to do his best lap on the medium tyres. Russell moves into the top 10 with just three minutes remaining.


02:15 PM

Q1 - Verstappen goes quickest

He does a fourth lap on this set of soft tyres to beat Bottas's lap by 0.020. He is the first man under 1:22. ]

Sergio Perez improves his time but he's 0.402s slower than his team-mate.


02:14 PM

Q1 - Alonso up into fourth

How great has it been to have an in-form Fernando Alonso back this year?


02:12 PM

Q1 - Seven mins remain

Ocon gets himself into the top 10 with his first hot lap as Bottas is going again on the same set of tyres. He's quickest of anyone in sector one and improves his own middle sector.

He finishes quickest overall by 0.003s. Nice.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain in action during qualifying session in Lusail, Qatar, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 ahead of the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix. - AP
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain in action during qualifying session in Lusail, Qatar, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 ahead of the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix. - AP

Daniel Ricciardo into 11th and Leclerc loses a lap time and slips down to 13th.


02:11 PM

Q1 - Top 10

  1. HAM 1:22.019
  2. VER +0.215
  3. GAS +0.787
  4. NOR +0.820
  5. TSU +0.903
  6. BOT +0.961
  7. PER +1.205
  8. SAI +1.304
  9. LEC +1.328
  10. VET +1.349

DROP ZONE: GIO, MAZ, ALO, OCO, MSC


02:10 PM

Q1 - Verstappen two tenths down on Hamilton

Bottas nearly a second adrift. Not sure what happened to this morning's pace setter but he must have had some kind of issue.


02:09 PM

Q1 - Hamilton and Verstappen start their quick laps

Hamilton is 27.283s in the middle sector as Perez goes quickest overall. Verstappen not too far off that in S1.

Verstappen is two tenths away from Hamilton in the middle sector alone.

Hamilton then knocks Norris (who had just gone quickest) off top spot by eight tenths!

What does Verstappen do?


02:07 PM

Q1 - It's now the Ferraris at the top

Sainz leads Leclerc by 0.024s. Mazepin comes back into the pit lane and Lewis Hamilton begins his first hot lap.

Let's see where he is in the first sector. It's a 26.877 which is the quickest of anyone.

Verstappen is just under a tenth slower.


02:06 PM

Q1 - Mazepin has another issue

It's his front wing this time, which is hanging at a very strange angle indeed.

Raikkonen is the first driver to post a lap time and he does lap 0.894s quicker than Latifi and 6.7s quicker than the broken-winged Haas.

Vettel and Stroll then beat the Alfa Romeo drivers with times in the mid 1:23s.


02:04 PM

Q1 - 15 mins remain

Pierre Gasly the only driver out there not on the soft compound tyres. None of the main frontrunners have emerged from the pit lane yet.


02:02 PM

Q1 - It's the usual backmarkers out there at the moment

Raikkonen (a bit harsh to call him a backmarker maybe), the Haas cars and Latifi.

20 drivers in, five to go out and 15 to go through in the next 16.5 minutes.


02:00 PM

GREEN LIGHT: Q1 is go!


01:55 PM

Five minutes to go

Predictions? I think Hamilton by two-tenths from Bottas. And then Verstappen a further tenth down. I don't know, though (obviously). Got a feeling that Red Bull were holding something back in FP3.


01:50 PM

Christian Horner is speaking to Sky Sports F1 about Mercedes' rear wing

He says the FIA are going to test it after qualifying. He has provided a photo which he says shows evidence of flexing.

What you can see is where that lower part of the wing is fretting against... it's where it's moved off and flexed. We have numerous pictures from each of the grands prix where this has been happening.

To hear when Mercedes said there was no sign of any fretting yesterday... I think that's clear.

It's only one part of a piece of a puzzle. We're not going to disclose a full protest document here.

Really delighted to see that they've introduced a fact-finding mission here... after qualifying they are going to test these wings.

There will be a pull-down test on the wing. It will be ramped up in stages so you will be able to measure the deflection. Our concern isn't so much here... where straight line speed isn't at the premium it is at Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.

We are seeing it to an increasing extent. Anywhere over 250ks you can see it starts to move. The FIA have five people looking at this. There are thousands of engineers looking at exploiting rules... that's the nature of Formula One.

We just want to make sure... with so much at stake... the next three races are an even playing field.


01:48 PM

Verdict on the track so far?

I think it looks fun for the drivers and qualifying should be quite a good show... but I am less than optimistic about the race. The enforcement of track limits has been a little confusing so far, too.

Alpine's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso drives during the third practice session ahead of the Qatari Formula One Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit, on the outskirts of the capital city of Doha, on November 20, 2021 - AFP
Alpine's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso drives during the third practice session ahead of the Qatari Formula One Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit, on the outskirts of the capital city of Doha, on November 20, 2021 - AFP

01:37 PM

Reminder that Qatar have a 10-year deal with F1

This year is the first ever Grand Prix in the country. There will be no race next year but the Qatar Grand Prix will return to a new purpose-built track from 2023 onwards. Those races will also be under lights. The deal starts in 2023, so this race - a late replacement for the Australian Grand Prix - does not count in that.


01:34 PM

Lewis Hamilton is wearing a helmet with a rainbow flag on it this weekend

It is obviously a pointed signal of solidarity and a message as we race in Qatar, a state where homosexuality is illegal.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain wears a new rainbow helmet during practice session in Lusail, Qatar, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 ahead of the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix - AP
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain wears a new rainbow helmet during practice session in Lusail, Qatar, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 ahead of the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix - AP

"I do feel that there are issues in these places that we are going to, as there are around the world, but of course (this) seems to be deemed as one of the worst in this part of the world," said Hamilton.

"I do think as these sports go to these places they are duty bound to raise awareness for these issues and these places need scrutiny and need the media to speak about these things. Equal rights is a serious issue.

"However I am aware that in this place they are trying to make steps and it can't change overnight."


01:23 PM

Red Bull have concerns about legality of Mercedes rear wing

Red Bull are concerned about the legality of the rear wing used by Formula One rivals Mercedes and will protest if they see something suspicious at this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix, principal Christian Horner said on Friday.

Horner spoke after stewards rejected a Mercedes request to review a decision not to punish Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen for an incident with Lewis Hamilton at the previous race in Brazil.

"I think this is something even more advanced... it's hidden in the way that it operates so that it's harder to spot from a camera," he said.

Red Bull Racing's team principal Christian Horner looks on during the third practice session ahead of the Qatari Formula One Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit, on the outskirts of the capital city of Doha, on November 20, 2021 - AFP
Red Bull Racing's team principal Christian Horner looks on during the third practice session ahead of the Qatari Formula One Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit, on the outskirts of the capital city of Doha, on November 20, 2021 - AFP

"You can see the straight line performance since Hungary (in August), and particularly in the last two grands prix, has gone exponential. And I think that obviously concerns us."

Asked whether Red Bull were prepared to protest, Horner replied: "Make no bones about it, if we see it on the car here it will be protested."

Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes' head of trackside engineering, rejected the suspicion.

"We've had a look at it [the wing] and there are no score marks," he told Sky Sports television.

"From our point of view we're absolutely happy with what we've got on the car. We've invited the FIA to look at it as much as they want, they don't have any issue with what we've got," he added.

"We'll work out what's fastest, we'll stick it on the car and we'll not take advice from another team."

Reuters


01:14 PM

It has not been a good couple of sessions for Nikita Mazepin

He had a floor change in FP2 so missed the entirety of that and then this happened as he left the pit lane in FP3.

0 laps completed.


01:08 PM

Lando Norris exclusive interview: F1 stewards penalised me - Max Verstappen deserves punishment too

McLaren's young British prospect is siding with compatriot Lewis Hamilton in latest spat, but you can read Tom Cary's full interview with the McLaren driver here.

 Lando Norris (GBR), McLaren F1 Team during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 18, 2021 in Doha, Qatar. - Hasan Bratic/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Lando Norris (GBR), McLaren F1 Team during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 18, 2021 in Doha, Qatar. - Hasan Bratic/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

01:04 PM

Current constructor standings


12:57 PM

Current driver standings - Top 10


12:49 PM

Final times after third practice

  1. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1min 22.310secs
  2. Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:22.388
  3. Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:22.651
  4. Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:22.835
  5. Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 1:22.846
  6. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spa) Ferrari. 1:23.048
  7. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Alpine 1:23.186
  8. Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 1:23.209
  9. Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:23.276
  10. Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:23.567
  11. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) McLaren 1:23.711
  12. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Aston Martin 1:23.884
  13. Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:23.895
  14. George Russell (Gbr) Williams 1:23.923
  15. Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:24.154
  16. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:24.246
  17. Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:24.288
  18. Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:24.499
  19. Mick Schumacher (Ger) Haas F1 1:24.680
  20. Nikita Mazepin (Raf) Haas F1

12:22 PM

Good afternoon F1 fans

And welcome to our coverage for qualifying for the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit. It's the first time F1 cars have been to this track in the Middle East. It's usually used for motorbikes, which is why there are some concerns about a potential lack of overtaking around the track's twisty 16 corners.

We will have to wait until Sunday afternoon to have the verdict on that but for now at least it is a great sight seeing the modern F1 cars sweep around the various high and medium speed corners as if stuck to the track. A bit like Mugello last year but perhaps not quite as quick. And certainly with worse scenery around the periphery.

The biggest news of the last day or so is that the FIA rejected Mercedes request to review the new footage of the incident between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix last week, where the Red Bull driver forced the Briton wide.

Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff and Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner talk in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 19, 2021 in Doha, Qatar - Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff and Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner talk in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 19, 2021 in Doha, Qatar - Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Here's Tom Cary with more the Red Bull vs Mercedes (and Christian Horner vs Toto Wolff) ding-dong battle over regulations, penalties and the like.

Max Verstappen controversially escaped punishment on Friday for his driving in Brazil last weekend, the FIA’s stewards deciding in the end to throw out Mercedes’ right to review request due to a lack of “significant” new evidence.

But anyone who thought that Mercedes and Red Bull might take this opportunity to shake hands, bury the hatchet somewhere in the Qatari desert, and agree to let the track decide the final destination of this year’s enthralling championship were swiftly disabused of that notion.

A fantastically awkward press conference on Friday afternoon involving the principals of Formula 1’s two leading teams, Christian Horner of Red Bull and Toto Wolff of Mercedes, saw the two men circle each other warily, niggling and probing, before descending into outright warfare, with Horner claiming that Mercedes’s pace over the last two weekends was “not normal” and warning his opposite number that Red Bull were ready to protest the Mercedes car if they saw any more “score marks” on the W12’s rear end plate this weekend.

It is the first time a direct threat has been issued over the legality of Mercedes’ rear wing following weeks of dark mutterings and insinuations from Red Bull. And unsurprisingly, it set the paddock at an already sweltering Losail International Circuit in Qatar ablaze.

In final practice this morning, it was Mercedes who set the pace. Valtteri Bottas topped the session with a 1:22.310 with Lewis Hamilton 0.078s behind. Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, 0.341 adrift of Bottas's time but only did nine laps - the fewest of anyone bar Nikita Mazepin who did not take part. Pierre Gasly was fourth and Sergio Perez was fifth, both half a second away from top spot.