Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris secured the second and third positions respectively, with Piastri being Verstappen's closest competitor for most of the race.
The Start: Verstappen's Dominance and Mercedes Clash
Verstappen, right from the start, managed to cover George Russell's run to the inside of Turn 1. As he moved left, Lewis Hamilton, starting on the softs, attacked his Mercedes team-mate. The ensuing collision resulted in Hamilton spinning out in the gravel and Russell falling to the last position. The safety car was sent out as Hamilton's car was recovered, and the race resumed at the start of lap five, with Verstappen leading Piastri, Fernando Alonso, and Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen's Lead and Pit Stops
Verstappen aced the restart, immediately running 1.0s clear of Piastri. Despite McLaren's early push to regain the DRS advantage, Verstappen's lead hit three seconds when McLaren pitted Piastri on lap 12. Red Bull chose to leave Verstappen out until lap 17, which resulted in his advantage ballooning to 8.1s after the first round of stops.
Piastri managed to shrink this lead to 7.4s after Verstappen's first stop, but Verstappen pulled away again. Piastri pitted for the second time comparatively early, on the 25th tour for a third second of mediums. Verstappen made his second stop on lap 34, by which point Piastri's strong pace early in his third stint had cut the Red Bull's lead to 5.8s.
The Final Third: Verstappen's Win and McLaren's Double Podium
Verstappen used his new hards to extend his lead again as the final third wore on, with Piastri facing a 10.2s deficit by the time he stopped for the final time on lap 43. The focus for the race's ending became whether Norris could overtake his team-mate during the run to the flag. However, McLaren told Norris to hold position as the team was worried about the recovering Russell.
Verstappen's winning margin ended up being 4.8s after he stopped for a third time to go back to the mediums on lap 51. Despite a slightly sluggish service, Verstappen managed to maintain his commanding gap over Piastri.
Other Notable Performances
Russell finished fourth, making a series of overtakes early on and overcutting many cars with strong pace. Charles Leclerc ended fifth for Ferrari, having had multiple battles with Alonso. Esteban Ocon finished seventh, with Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, and Sergio Perez rounding out the top 10.
Conclusion
The 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix was a thrilling race marked by Verstappen's dominance, a Mercedes clash, and McLaren's double podium. As with the Austrian GP track limits farce earlier this year, it remains possible the order will shift again once the FIA has assessed all possible track limits offences. Regardless, the race was a testament to the skill, strategy, and sheer determination of the drivers, making it a memorable event for all Formula 1 fans.
