Hamilton wins in Qatar, cuts into Verstappen lead
LOSAIL, QATAR — Lewis Hamilton inched closer to the Formula One championship lead with a dominating victory Sunday in the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix to earn back-toback wins and chip away at Max Verstappen’s points advantage.
Hamilton, who also won last week in Brazil, has trimmed 11 points from Verstappen’s lead in the title race in seven days. Verstap- pen still holds an eight-point lead with two races remain- ing in one of the most dramatic F1 title fights in at least a decade.
“The last two weeks have been fantastic, just amazing,” Hamilton said. “There’s no time for celebration. I don’t really have too much emotion. But it’s been amazing to be able to get so many points in these past two races.”
The seven-time champion started from pole for Mercedes and was never chal- lenged on the Losail International Circuit as Hamilton won his 102nd career race. It was his seventh victory of the season.
Verstappen finished sec- ond for Red Bull, nearly 25 seconds behind Hamilton.
“It was pretty lonely at the front,” said Hamilton, who is enjoying the challenge from Verstappen. “I love it. I love the close battle and the pres- sure and the demands it puts on you and the whole team. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Verstappen was hit with a penalty before the race even began when he was dropped five spots on the starting grid for violating a yellow flag in Saturday’s qualifying. The Dutchman had qualified second but thestewards ordered him to drop back on the grid following Sunday hearings for Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz.
All three were accused of not following yellow flag rules near the end of qualifying. Bottas, who had qualified third, was penalized three starting sports. Sainz was not penalized.
Red Bull was mystified by the grid penalty for Verstappen, who lost any chance to challenge Hamilton for the win when he was penalized. Red Bull principal Christian Horner criticized the penalty when it was handed down, blaming it on a “rogue marshal.”
Horner was summoned to a post-race meeting with the stewards for comments that could “have caused moral injury or loss” to the FIA.
“We’re really struggling to understand it,” Horner said. “That’s a crucial blow in this world championship for us.”
Despite the penalty, Verstappen needed only five laps to recover and drive back to where he was originally slated to start.