P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Winners and Losers from the 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix
Max Verstappen’s victory in the Qatar Grand Prix marked his fourth Grand Chelem of his career, securing pole position, fastest lap, and leading every lap. This achievement puts him on par with legendary drivers such as Sir Jackie Stewart, Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. Verstappen now aims to surpass Alberto Ascari and Michael Schumacher with five Grand Chelems, Lewis Hamilton with six, and Jim Clark’s record of eight. Alongside his third World Championship, Verstappen has cemented his status among the all-time greats.
In terms of disappointments, Sergio Perez had a challenging weekend, struggling with confidence after being overshadowed by Verstappen. However, the biggest loser from the Qatar Grand Prix was Lewis Hamilton. Although it would be unfair to scrutinize the race due to the challenging conditions, Hamilton’s attempt to overtake Verstappen and George Russell resulted in a collision. Hamilton took full responsibility for the incident, acknowledging it as an unfortunate scenario and absolving Russell of any fault.
McLaren had an impressive weekend in Qatar, securing a one-three and two-three finish in the Sprint and Grand Prix races. Oscar Piastri’s strong performance closed the gap between McLaren and Aston Martin, raising the possibility of McLaren overtaking the latter in the championship standings. With an 11-point difference, McLaren’s sights are now set on closing the 79-point gap to Ferrari.
Alfa Romeo, previously struggling in the 2023 season, showed improvement with recent upgrades to their C43 car. Both Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu scored points, finishing eighth and ninth respectively. Zhou’s remarkable climb from 18th to ninth was aided by penalties for Lance Stroll and Pierre Gasly. Alfa Romeo’s performance propelled them to eighth in the standings, surpassing Haas. Bottas expressed his satisfaction with the team’s result, emphasizing the extreme heat and humidity they faced during the race.
Source: RacingNews 365
