2024 F1 Qatar GP: Race Predictions
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the F1 Qatar GP after putting together a stunning qualifying lap. The Dutch was in a battle with George Russell, and in the end, he put together a lap that was 0.055 seconds faster than the Mercedes driver. There is, however, a twist in the tale here, as Verstappen was given a 1-place drop by the stewards for his incident with Russell earlier in the session.
The front row thus, will have George Russell on pole position with Max Verstappen alongside him. In P3, we have Lando Norris in his McLaren as the sprint race winner, who didn't have the same advantage in qualifying.
The F1 Qatar GP track layout can be very demanding for the tires and for racing in general, as there aren't too many areas where one can pull off an overtake. With that being said, the challenges are unique and could lead to an interesting outcome.
So, what can we expect from the F1 Qatar GP? Let's take a look.
#5 The on-track action might suffer
One of the changes made by the FIA for the F1 Qatar GP was reducing the DRS zone by 100m. A possible reason behind this implementation could be the frequent overtakes throughout the races we saw last season, hinting that the DRS was a bit too powerful.
While there is some truth to the aforementioned argument, there is also an overlooked element: Last season, one of the biggest reasons behind the number of overtakes was the fact that cars ran different compounds of tires and that delta played a massive role in improving action.
We do not have it in place this time around and that's going to hurt the action. We saw parts of it in the sprint as well, where we had a huge DRS train where overtaking was almost impossible. We might end up seeing something similar this time around as well.
#4 Tire degradation could be a major concern during the race
Tire degradation could play a major role during the F1 Qatar GP because while overtaking is tough, it's much easier to follow the cars around the track. We're going to see more of it in the race, potentially leading to the tires overheating and that playing a role.
Tire management is the key here because the fast-speed sections are very demanding, an area where a driver who is managing everything better could come out on top.
#3 Ferrari is the dark horse for the F1 Qatar GP
Ferrari appears to be the 4th fastest car this weekend, and this was more or less expected. With that being said, the gap between the top 4 is not much, and a lot of it would come down to race management during the F1 Qatar GP.
Charles Leclerc has shown an uncanny ability to be very good at managing his tires this season, and if he can continue to do that during the F1 Qatar GP, then the Monegasque might be an outside contender for a strong result this weekend.
#2 Top 3 will be in contention for the win
The top 3 drivers, George Russell, Max Verstappen, and Lando Norris, are going to be in contention for the win. All three of them have their respective strengths and weaknesses, and that's what appears to be the key here, as the lap times tend to converge over a lap.
With that being said, Lando Norris has a slight disadvantage on the straights, and with him starting in the worst starting position among the three, that might be something he would try to overcome.
Overall, though, it's going to be a race of managing everything throughout the different stints and making the right calls. The driver and the team that manage to do so, are the ones that are going to come out on top.
#1 George Russell wins the F1 Qatar GP
For the F1 Qatar GP, we're backing George Russell to get this done. The British driver has been somewhat under the radar this weekend when it comes to performance, even though it's been right up against anyone else.
He seems to have the handle of the Mercedes and how to get the job done, and with some uncertain clouds over Max Verstappen's ultimate pace in the car over a race run, it may tip the balance in favor of the Brit this weekend.