DOHA: Max Verstappen clinched his third successive Formula One world title Saturday as his nearest championship rival and Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez crashed out of the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix.
The Dutchman, who needed just three points this weekend to be crowned champion, was guaranteed the title when Perez spun out of the 19-lap sprint after he was hit by the Alpine of Esteban Ocon.
“Of course, it’s a fantastic feeling, it’s been an incredible year and lots of great races and I feel super proud and super proud of the job of the team,” said Verstappen.
“It’s been so enjoyable to be part of that group of people and to be three time world champion is just incredible.”
Verstappen, who was third at the time of Perez’s accident, finished the sprint second behind Australia’s Oscar Piastri of McLaren.
The 26-year-old Verstappen has dominated the sport this season, winning 13 of 16 races including a record 10 in a row before his fifth-place finish in Singapore last month.
He will start Sunday’s Grand Prix at the Lusail track from pole position.
Verstappen has an unassailable 184-point lead with six races left in the season.
Verstappen wins third straight Formula One title
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Verstappen wins third straight Formula One title
- “I feel super proud and super proud of the job of the team,” said Verstappen
- Verstappen, who was third at the time of Perez’s accident, finished the sprint second behind Australia’s Oscar Piastri of McLaren
Lando Norris says F1 cars gone from best to ‘probably the worst’
- Norris’ title defense comes amid sweeping changes to the cars
- The 26-year-old British driver has endured a tough weekend at Albert Park so far
MELBOURNE: Formula 1 champion Lando Norris is struggling with his new era McLaren car and frustrated to line up only sixth in Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Norris’ title defense comes amid sweeping changes to the cars, and the 26-year-old British driver has endured a tough weekend at Albert Park so far.
F1’s new cars are complex, with unprecedented changes across the chassis and power unit, which now feature an almost 50:50 output split between the turbo 1.6-liter V6 engine and electrical energy harvested from the brakes — one that requires a new, often counterintuitive driving style.
“We’ve come from the best cars ever made in Formula 1, and the nicest to drive, to probably the worst,” he said after Saturday’s qualifying.
He’s not just coming to grips with his car’s complex energy management systems, but also in getting out on track — with the Briton losing significant time in Friday’s two practice sessions.
“Just getting into the rhythm of lifting everywhere to go quicker and using gears you don’t want to use and just understanding that when you lift more, you brake later but you have to brake less,” Norris said.
“That’s why laps are more valuable than ever. In the past, miss P1, not too bothered. Now, you miss five laps, not only do you as a driver have to figure things out quicker, the engine doesn’t learn what it needs to learn and then you’re just on the back foot.”
