The Qatar Grand Prix was filled with chaos and leaves the 2024 Formula 1 season finely poised heading into the final race of the season.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will see McLaren and Ferrari go head to head in a bid to end 16-year championship droughts and claim the constructors’ crown.
A 21-point gap separates the two at the top, meaning that the Scuderia require something of a minor miracle from drivers Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, or both.
McLaren probably have the faster racecar too, so expect to see a punchy approach from both teams in pursuit of some silverware.
Peter Windsor says fans were ‘robbed’ of a good Qatar Grand Prix
After a wing mirror found its way onto the start/finish straight during the Qatar GP, debris was scattered over the circuit when Valtteri Bottas ran over it.
It may have sparked two punctures, which saw Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz forced to pit as a result of the damages.
Under waved yellow flags, Lando Norris failed to slow down and was subsequently handed a 10-second stop-and-go penalty in the middle of his pursuit of Max Verstappen.
READ MORE: Christian Horner highlights bizarre issue that almost cost Max Verstappen Qatar Grand Prix victory
It killed any chance of a fight for the win, as Norris was relegated to last place – a decision which Peter Windsor believes the stewards go wrong.
“They should not have done that one that day – [Norris penalty], on a day where so many things were going wrong for the FIA in terms of administration.
“I think we were robbed of a really good race because Lando had the pace, I think he probably had a quicker car.”
Why Norris might have won the Qatar GP
The best indication that Norris may have been able to overtake Verstappen for victory towards the end, was the Brit’s capability to warm his tyres up efficiently.
The Red Bull struggled to generate heat in the surprisingly cool conditions for the time of year in Losail, but they weren’t the only ones.
It may have left them vulnerable towards the end, and Norris’ fastest lap – seven-tenths quicker than anyone else indicates that he may have been saving some pace for the end anyway.
READ MORE: Ted Kravitz shares what ‘seething’ Max Verstappen said to George Russell ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix
But yet again, we’re talking about a missed opportunity for the Papaya outfit, who should have taken advantage of another chance to win.
If they had, the constructors’ championship would already be over, and the celebrations would have already begun.
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