Kevin Magnussen is glad that Pierre Gasly is concerned about him as he bids to keep his clean F1 2024 record.

There remains major business to resolve in the Constructors’ Championship throughout the pack. Out front, McLaren are looking to secure their first Constructors’ crown since 1998, their lead over Ferrari standing at 30 points ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. Meanwhile further back, the battle for P6 is very much on.

Pierre Gasly wary of Kevin Magnussen ‘destructor championship’ threat

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Haas go into the race holding that position, though their lead over Alpine a position behind is a slender one, coming in at just three points, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen set to share the sixth row at the start.

Gasly holds the welcomed statistic of having inflicted zero crash damage for his Alpine team so far in F1 2024, though he is feeling nervy over his chances of keeping that distinction in Qatar.

Magnussen is contesting his penultimate F1 race and is on zero penalty points, having earlier in the season become the first driver to receive a one-race ban since the FIA introduced its superlicence system, Magnussen hitting the dreaded 12-point mark.

Put to him that he starts right behind Magnussen, the driver he needs to beat, Gasly replied to the media, including PlanetF1.com: “It would have always been nice to start in front, because Kevin is not the nicest guy to battle with. And I’m still on zero damage in the destructor championship!

“So we’ll keep it that way tomorrow, hopefully.

“But then no, we know that’s our battle. I think this morning [in the Sprint], they looked very strong. They looked faster than us. Tomorrow is a different race. It’s a much longer race.

“And Fernando [Alonso] was also looking good in the Sprint. I think they [Aston Martin] made a step forward, like for this afternoon.

“But we’ll be in the fight, and I’m sure there is going to be a point or two on the table tomorrow.”

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Gasly’s concerns were brought up to Magnussen, whose concise reply will have done little to settle Gasly’s nerves.

“Good!” Magnussen simply came back with.

VCARB are also a part of the battle for P6, their deficit to Haas only six points. There is work to do though in Qatar for the Faenza-based team, with Yuki Tsunoda starting P14 and Liam Lawson P17.

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