It was a day to remember for McLaren, as they secured their first 1-2 finish in over a decade, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finishing second and third respectively at the Qatar Grand Prix on Monday. The team showed incredible pace and strategy, as they climbed up from sixth and tenth on the grid, and passed their rivals on the track.
The race was a one-man show for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who led from lights to flag and increased his advantage in the drivers’ championship to 28 points over Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who came fourth after a 10-second penalty for ignoring yellow flags. Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez was fifth, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were sixth and seventh.
McLaren’s result was a major boost for their ambition of securing third place in the constructors’ championship, as they opened up a 19-point gap over Ferrari with three races remaining. The team has made impressive progress this season, with Norris scoring four podiums and Piastri earning his first podium in his debut year.
The team’s success was also a reflection of their determination and teamwork, as they bounced back from some challenges in the previous races. In Italy, Norris was denied a possible win by a late rain shower, while Piastri retired from the race. In Singapore, Norris was second behind Verstappen, but Piastri suffered from tyre wear and finished seventh. In Japan, both drivers were on the podium, but Norris lost second place to Hamilton on the last lap.
McLaren’s team principal Andreas Seidl congratulated his drivers and crew for their performance in Qatar, saying: “It’s a fantastic achievement for the whole team here at the track and back home in Woking. To score a double podium after starting P6 and P10 is something we can be very proud of. Both Oscar and Lando drove brilliant races, managing their tyres well and making some great overtakes. The pit crew also did a great job with two flawless stops. This result is a reward for all the hard work and dedication that everyone in the team has put in this season.”
McLaren will be looking to maintain their momentum in the next race in Saudi Arabia, where they will face another challenge from Ferrari and Mercedes. The team has not won a race since 2012, but they have shown that they are capable of fighting at the front. With three races left, McLaren will be aiming to secure their best finish in the constructors’ championship since 2012, when they were third behind Red Bull and Ferrari.
