2021 F1 Qatar Grand Prix: Winners And Losers

Despite earlier concerns of overtaking being difficult, the 2021 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at Losail had no dearth of wheel-to-wheel action, with a surprise result as well as late-race drama spicing things up. It also saw Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton score a crucial win to further close up the title fight.

In this report, we take you through the winners and losers in the 20th round of the 2021 Formula One season:

Winners

Lewis Hamilton

 

The race weekend couldn't have been any more flawless for Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Not only did the seven-time champion qualify on pole, but managed to score a lights-to-flag 102nd win. This continued momentum from Brazil has seen Hamilton close the gap to just 8 points behind the Red Bull Racing Honda of Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings with just two rounds to go.

Fernando Alonso

It’s been a long seven-year wait, but the podium duck finally broke for two-time champion Fernando Alonso with the Alpine driver scoring a well earned third place. Starting third due to grid penalties up front, Alonso managed to run a comfortable third in the initial stint, and was on for a comfortable fourth place finish. But once Red Bull Racing Honda’s Sergio Perez took a precautionary second pitstop, Alonso gambled on the one-stop strategy which was helped by a late-race virtual safety car to just about hold on to the final podium spot. 

Lance Stroll

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An under the radar performance from Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who was one of many to gamble on the one-stop strategy. After a tense defence against the two Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, Stroll’s gamble paid off with a fine sixth place finish.

Losers

Max Verstappen 

Another damage limitation weekend for the championship leader, which wasn’t helped by a five-place grid penalty for speeding under yellow flags in qualifying. Fortunately, the Red Bull Racing Honda driver recovered back to his original second position within five laps, but didn’t have much of an answer to title rival Hamilton. Eventually he had to settle for second place but did steal an extra point by virtue of the fastest lap. In the title race, things are looking a lot closer, with Verstappen only 8 points ahead of Hamilton going into the final stretch of the 2021 season. 

McLaren

Lando Norris was initially on for a strong fourth place, but a mid-race puncture forced him on an extra pitstop, and could only recover to ninth at the chequered flag. His teammate Daniel Ricciardo had a race to forget, finishing 12th after starting 14th. Overall, another difficult weekend for McLaren, who’ve lost further ground to Ferrari in the fight for third place in the constructors’ standings. 

Pierre Gasly 

The AlphaTauri driver seemed set for a strong haul of points after qualifying second on the grid. But all that promise fizzled out quickly during the race, as Pierre Gasly didn’t have the race pace, and a poor strategy saw the Frenchman finish a lowly 11th in the end.

Valtteri Bottas 

It seems lady luck wasn’t on Valtteri Bottas’ side at the Qatar Grand Prix, as the Mercedes driver was on for a strong fourth or even a possible third place finish. But a mid-race puncture, dropped him out of the points and the damage was enough for him to eventually retire from the race. 

With the final triple header done and dusted, Formula One will have a week’s break before it heads to Jeddah for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, scheduled for December 3-5, 2021.