LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Max Verstappen won big in Las Vegas with his fourth title, but the fight for Formula 1’s biggest cash prize is hotting up this week in Qatar.
The lucrative constructors’ championship is still wide open with McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull battling for the title. The contest for teams is worth around $140 million to the winner, though the precise pay-out depends on variables.
This weekend in Qatar, a sprint race Saturday means extra points are on offer – a maximum of 59 for a team over the whole weekend.
McLaren leads by 24 points from Ferrari, with Verstappen’s Red Bull 29 further back. McLaren could seal its first constructors’ crown since 1998 this Sunday, wrapping up the title ahead of the final round in Abu Dhabi next week, but would likely need either a perfect weekend or for Ferrari to encounter problems.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc led the way in the sole practice session Friday, with McLaren’s Lando Norris 0.425 seconds slower and Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri .047 further back. Verstappen was 11th-fastest. Qualifying for Saturday’s sprint takes place later Friday.
McLaren’s bid is the new focus for Norris after his challenge for the drivers’ title ended last week in Las Vegas.
Norris on Thursday dismissed a reported claim from Verstappen that he could have won the crown earlier in a McLaren and suggested the Dutch driver try “comedy”. He then offered a suggestion of his own. “Red Bull probably would have won the constructors’ (championship) if they had two drivers as good as Max, that’s for sure,” Norris said.
The contributions of Piastri, who won the Qatar sprint race as a rookie last year, have been key to McLaren’s hopes. Ferrari’s Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. have been close on the track – and sometimes too close for comfort – all year.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez is the only driver at the top three teams without a race win this year, he’s eighth in the standings with less than half Verstappen’s points total. Qualifying 16th and finishing 10th in Las Vegas was another disappointment, and Perez was 18th-fastest in practice Friday.
Perez, who has faced speculation over his future almost all year, says he’s struggled to make the title-winning Red Bull car fit his driving style.
“I think it’s very difficult for people to understand if they’re not part of the team,” he said Thursday. “I think when you are not able to extract 100% out of your car, it’s irrelevant how good your car is, and this is what happened.”
Last year’s race in Qatar pushed drivers to the limit. Esteban Ocon reported being sick as he battled the heat and humidity, while Lance Stroll said he was on the verge of losing consciousness.
The FIA expressed concern that drivers “should not be expected to compete under conditions that could jeopardise their health or safety,” and this month approved new driver cooling kits for hot races.
Those kits aren’t available until next year, but don’t expect drivers to be clamouring for them in Qatar this week. With the action taking place in November and December instead of early October, much milder weather is forecast than last year, and Stroll said “for sure” that’s a relief.
“I have no interest in experiencing last year’s heat in Qatar again,” the Aston Martin driver said.