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
Sixth Dakar Rally win for Al-Attiyah as Benavides triumphs on two wheels
- Al-Attiyah, with Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, had led overnight after taking his 50th career stage win
- 55-year-old Qatari also won in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023
Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally for the sixth time in the car category on Saturday as Argentina’s Luciano Benavides won by two seconds on two wheels, the narrowest margin ever.
Al-Attiyah, with Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, had led overnight after taking his 50th career stage win and made no mistakes as he handed Dacia a first victory at their second attempt in the two-week event held entirely in Saudi Arabia.
The 55-year-old Qatari also won in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
Ford’s Nani Roma finished second, nine minutes and 42 seconds behind, and teammate Mattias Ekstrom was third after winning the final stage.
Last year’s winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi of Saudi Arabia withdrew in the opening week after mechanical problems.
Benavides had earlier taken the motorcycle title after American Ricky Brabec lost his way and saw victory slip through his fingers.
The KTM rider, whose older brother Kevin won the Dakar in 2021 and 2023, came home second in the 105-km stage in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu, with Honda’s overnight leader Brabec 10th.
In a grueling endurance event spanning two weeks and 8,000km over rocky roads, through canyons and vast expanses of desert dunes, twice winner Brabec blew his chances with only a few kilometers remaining.
Spaniard Tosha Schareina finished third overall for Honda.
“From the start to the finish I never stopped dreaming, I never stopped believing,” said Benavides, who had trailed Brabec by three minutes and 20 seconds after Friday’s penultimate stage.
“I said to all my people around ‘I don’t know why but I still feel it’s possible, I still believe I can win and it’s going to go my way’.
“In the last three kilometers, Ricky took a wrong piste and I took a good one... I just saw the opportunity and I took it.”
American Skyler Howes was fourth overall for Honda, ahead of Australia’s 2025 champion Daniel Sanders on a KTM.
Sanders crashed on stage 10 but refused to retire and raced on despite a suspected broken collarbone.
