2023-10-07 18:12:12
Max Verstappen is Formula 1 world champion once more. Second place in the Qatar sprint on Saturday was enough for the Red Bull driver to secure his third title in a row. “I’m very proud of the team and myself,” said Verstappen. Motorsport consultant Helmut Marko praised: “It’s incredible what we’ve achieved and there’s still a lot to come.” Australian rookie Oscar Piastri took victory in the sprint in a McLaren. His teammate Lando Norris came third. In the main race on Sunday at 7 p.m. Verstappen has the chance to celebrate his 14th win of the season. The 26-year-old Dutchman starts from pole position.
In the main race on Sunday (7 p.m.), Verstappen will start the race from first place on the grid and aim for victory number 14 of the season. The Sprint Shootout had been postponed by 20 minutes due to tire problems at the Lusail International Circuit. As the world association FIA announced, the usual analyzes revealed a lot of damage following the sessions on Friday. Accordingly, the tires from the sole manufacturer Pirelli were significantly more affected than usual.
Fearing serious damage with potentially dire consequences on the track, the FIA reacted and increased the areas of the track that drivers were allowed to use. The boundary was changed between curves 12, 13 and 14, route employees came out with paint buckets and partially widened the curb (kerb). There was also an additional ten-minute training session on the Saturday before the shootout, in which the pilots were able to get used to the new route restrictions. If the situation does not improve, a maximum of 20 laps can be driven with one set of tires on Sunday and there will be mandatory pit stops.
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