Photos: Khabib Nurmagomedov shares pictures from trip to Qatar Grand Prix marred by Lando Norris controversy

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s passion for sports transcends his love for MMA, with his interests stretching into football, pickleball, and motorsport. Over the weekend, the former UFC lightweight champion attended the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, which was held at Lusail International Circuit. The race marked the penultimate round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship.

Nurmagomedov shared snapshots from the event and simply captioned the post "Qatar."

Check out the Instagram post and pictures below:

​

Khabib Nurmagomedov shares pictures from Qatar Grand Prix 2024. [Images via: @khabib_nurmagomedov on Instagram]

Max Verstappen clinched a commanding victory at the recently concluded event on Dec. 1, but the race was overshadowed by controversy surrounding a penalty imposed on British driver Lando Norris. Norris received a 10-second stop-go penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags, which altered McLaren’s bid for the constructors’ championship.

McLaren's team principal Andrea Stella lambasted the severity of the penalty, questioning the FIA’s proportionality in decision-making. Adding to the drama, criticism erupted over the race management’s delayed response to debris on the track, which led to punctures for Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz. This controversy occurred under the watch of Rui Marques, the newly appointed race director, placing further scrutiny on FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

---

Khabib Nurmagomedov's coach Javier Mandez pays tribute to former UFC champion's father

Javier Mendez, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, paid a heartfelt tribute to Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the late father of the former UFC champion. Abdulmanap, according to Mendez, proved to be more than just a coach and donned the roles of a mentor, humanitarian, and a symbol of discipline and humility.

Mendez reflected on his unwavering trust, allowing 'The Eagle' to train under him from 2012. Despite being a legendary coach himself, Abdulmanap never imposed his methods, instead believing in the journey they shared. He took to Instagram to share pictures with the late coach and wrote:

"I had the privilege of knowing Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, in 2014 2 years after Khabib started training with Me and I can confidently say he was The best Coach I ever met a remarkable human being. A true humanitarian with a beautiful heart, he embodied discipline and humility as a coach. What I admired most about him was his unwavering trust in me as a coach for his son, @khabib_nurmagomedov who was destined for greatness."

He added:

"From 2012 onward, Khabib trained with me for every fight camp, and Abdulmanap’s confidence in both of us made that possible. In a world where many coaches would be protective of their talents, he freely allowed Khabib to pursue his dreams with me. He never imposed his methods on our training; instead, he trusted that we both knew what needed to be done. I often refer to this as “Father’s Plan,” a testament to his belief in our journey together."

Check out the Instagram post below:

​

​