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Formula 1
Qatar GP
F1 Qatar GP Live Commentary and Updates – Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix
Max Verstappen wrapped up his third F1 world title in the Qatar sprint on Saturday and starts today’s grand prix on pole looking to celebrate in style.
But the race has thrown F1 teams a curveball with a mandated maximum of 18-lap stints – effectively pushing all drivers into a three-stop strategy – due to safety concerns on tyre trouble.
In conjunction with Pirelli, the FIA made the emergency measures official on Sunday afternoon before the race, following Saturday’s track limit changes at Turn 12 and 13 to deter drivers from going over the new and harsher kerbs.
The Qatar GP gets under way at 6:00pm BST.
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Verstappen's lead is 1.2s at the end of the first proper lap of racing. Alonso is trying to keep within a second of Piastri for when DRS gets activated at the end of this lap.
Up to P13 goes Russell with a bold move around the outside of Perez at Turns 4 and 5.
Penalty
And bad news for Haas and Hulkenberg. The German forgot to leave a blank space and pulled into the grid position left vacant by Sainz.
He must serve a 10 second penalty ahead of his next stop.
He must serve a 10 second penalty ahead of his next stop.
Stopwatch
Piastri has got clear of DRS range from Alonso as DRS is enabled by putting in a fastest lap of anyone.
Off track
Alonso goes wide and off track at Turn 4, but manages to get back on the circuit without losing a place to Leclerc right behind him.
Stopwatch
Verstappen is pushing on with a 1m29.083s to set a new fastest lap. His lead has grown to 2.1s.
More progress for Russell who passes Zhou for P12 at the Turn 6 hairpin. Next up is Sargeant in the Williams.
That didn't take long. A simple move for Russell on Sargeant into Turn 1 and next up is Albon in the other Williams.
In theory the drivers on medium and hard tyres shouldn't need to worry about tyre management given the 18-lap stint maximum, but the gaps are stabilising between the frontrunners at a couple of seconds apiece.
Pit stop
Tsunoda is the first to take a pitstop under green flag conditions. He exits in P18 but will be able to make use of the undercut to regain some ground in the coming laps.
Pit stop
Ocon pits from P7 to remove one set of medium tyres and fit another. He returns to the track in P17 - highlighting how closely bunched the field currently is.
Pit stop
Verstappen needs to pit no later than lap 17 according to the F1 data. Meanwhile at the end of lap 11, Alonso pits from third and Gasly pits from sixth.
Pit stop
At the end of lap 12 Piastri and Leclerc pit, potentially to respond to Alonso's earlier stop to avoid an undercut.
Lawson is walking a tightrope now after being shown the black and white warning flag for track limits. One more strike and he'll have a five second penalty.
Pit stop
With those pitting directly behind him, Verstappen now has a 10s lead over Norris on lap 14. Scratch that, Norris pits, which puts Russell back into second place. Mad, given he was he was 18th on lap two.
Pit stop
Hulkenberg plunges down the order as he pits and serves his 10 second penalty. He is now P18.
Pit stop
Verstappen doesn't pit and again the second place driver, Russell, dives into the pits for his second stop. The position chart at the end of this race is going to be wild.
Much like the Indy500, it's very difficult to actually confirm the true order due to the wide variety of pitstop plans on display. Time to get the calculators out!
Verstappen leads by 22s from Albon but both are due to pit in the next lap or two.
Stopwatch
Verstappen puts in a fastest lap of 1m27.875s on lap 16 and, as expected, he must pit at the end of his current lap.
Pit stop
And in comes Verstappen, a 2.4s stop, and comes out in second place behind Albon - who will need to pit at the end of this lap. But a Williams leads this race!
Pit stop
Albon and Zhou both pit at the end of lap 18 - right on the limit - which releases Verstappen back into the lead. Piastri is back up to second, 8s back from the Red Bull driver.
Quote
"You need to let Fernando by as soon as possible. This is important. You are on a different strategy."
Stroll's reaction to the Aston Martin message was not broadcast but he has made the switch, allowing his team-mate to move into P4.
Stroll's reaction to the Aston Martin message was not broadcast but he has made the switch, allowing his team-mate to move into P4.
With the first pit shuffle seemingly having played out, Norris is in P6 with Leclerc following closely. Ocon, Gasly and Russell round out the points at present.
Alonso, with DRS, makes light work of passing Bottas and returns to third place. He is 4.2s off Piastri in second.
On lap 21 Norris overtakes Stroll, who is on a different strategy, to move up to fifth and has Bottas in his sights next.
Here comes the next round of stops! Are you paying attention closely?
Verstappen leads by 7.5s from Piastri and is largely able to run his own race. Everyone else is in all-out warfare with strategy and performance peaks and dips colliding.
Albon has now been shown the black and white warning flag for track limits. He is the second driver after Lawson to be given this final warning.
According to F1's data, Piastri cannot pit later than lap 25 - and it is lap 24 - so his time in second will be up shortly. The merry-go-round spins once more.
This one is big - Perez has now been given his final track limits warning. A reminder, one more transgression will result in a five second penalty.
Pit stop
Verstappen leads by 8.3s as Piastri is called to pit for the second time in this race on lap 25. Alonso continues and moves into second.
It appears that Gasly has a problem with his hybrid system. The Alpine driver has reported that he 'cannot fight' with what he currently has at his disposal.
Pit stop
Hard tyres this time as Ocon and Leclerc both replace medium rubber with the white-walled hard compound.
Penalty
A five second penalty for Perez for track limits. He is the first driver to be caught out tonight!
Pit stop
Alonso has complained of a hot race seat in his Aston Martin and suggested the team dumps water into his cockpit at his next pitstop. He pits for tyres but no ice/water/cooler for his hot backside.
Pit stop
Norris, in second place for a lap, is next in and ditches his mediums for another set of fresh mediums. He comes out in seventh, just behind Zhou but ahead of Alonso!
Verstappen still leads, with his advantage up to 23s, with Russell now the lucky recipient of second place.
The Norris-Alonso battle has reached boiling point yet again, with the pair in close quarters after their latest stops.
Gasly now gets the black and white warning flag for track limits. He, Albon and Lawson are the three drivers pushing their luck right now.
By: Autosport Staff
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