2024 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix Highlights

Hear from McLaren Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Team Principal Andrea Stella after the 2024 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix.

Lando gains a position when the lights go out, overtaking Russell for P2, while Oscar drops to P5. Oscar overtakes Leclerc to reclaim P4 following a Lap 1 Safety Car, while Lando holds onto P2. Another safety car was deployed on Lap 35 due to debris being on track. When racing resumes, Lando is in P2 and Oscar in P4. Lando is handed a 10-second stop/go penalty for failing to slow for Yellow Flags, which he serves in the pit lane, returning P15. Oscar gains P3. Lando begins fighting his way back through the field, taking the Fastest Lap on his way into the points, finishing P10. Oscar holds onto P3 at the Chequered Flag, notching his eighth podium of the season so far.

Lando Norris

The team gave me a great car today. It was the quickest out there, so I’m disappointed we haven’t been able to secure maximum points in Qatar. I know the rules around Yellow Flags, but I missed it. I have to take that on the chin. I can only apologise to the team.

We have one more weekend to go now, and we’ll head to Abu Dhabi with the same mindset as any other weekend, and that’s wanting to win.

Oscar Piastri

I am happy with that. I enjoyed the race. It’s a mega track, so it’s nice to come away with another podium. There were some good battles on track, but it was challenging as the cars at the front seemed to have a similar pace. It was tough to get into DRS, and then far enough into DRS to overtake, but it was still fun, nonetheless. We were just unlucky with the timing of the Safety Car, but that’s racing. It will take everything we’ve got to seal the deal next week. It’s going to be an exciting one.

Andrea Stella

The positives from today’s race are that we had a powerful car and were in contention for the victory. Oscar drove a solid race but was unlucky with the timing of the Safety Car, which dropped him behind Leclerc, but that’s the way it goes sometimes in racing. Lando was very fast, and the way he clawed his way back into the points after the penalty was impressive. It isn’t the result we wanted overall, but it is what we have.

Regarding the main incident of the race, the sector appeared to go yellow just as Lando entered it – but the requirements are clear: you need to lift, and it’s the responsibility of the drivers to recognise they are in a yellow sector and back off. However, in the future, we recommend that the FIA consider that proportionality and specificity should be guaranteed in any penalties applied.

Moving on from that, we now go to Abu Dhabi. We remain focused and determined to finish the job as a team.

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