Lewis Hamilton storms home in Qatar to close gap on Max Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton won the debut Qatar Grand Prix with a dominant, controlled run from pole to flag. He beat his title rival Max Verstappen into second, with the Red Bull driver making a very good recovery having started from seventh after he was given a grid penalty shortly before the race.

The win means Hamilton now trails Verstappen by only eight points with two races remaining. Alpine’s Fernando Alonso delivered a superb third, his first podium for 104 races, with his teammate Esteban Ocon in fifth and Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez in fourth.

Hamilton led from the start, unchallenged and showing a formidable pace that Verstappen could not match, although the latter will be pleased with minimising the damage after his penalty.

Out front Mercedes and Hamilton delivered at the Losail circuit, becoming the first winners of this first Qatar GP with the flawless execution they know will be required to take a title that will surely now be going to the wire.

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Verstappen had qualified in second but was summoned to the stewards on Sunday for failing to slow under double-waved yellow flags on his final lap because Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri had suffered a puncture. They deemed he had breached the rules and awarded a five-place penalty just an hour and a half before the race. The Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, described it as a “crucial blow” in the championship but said they would not appeal. Valtteri Bottas was also given a three-place penalty for failing to slow under a single yellow flag.

This is Hamilton’s seventh win this season and the 102nd of his career, a remarkable figure yet one that for the moment is a frippery he might allow himself to consider come the close season. What matters now is taking the win at such a vital moment and the points Hamilton has earned towards attempting to secure his record eighth title, with 52 available from the final two races, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton made a strong start, holding his lead through turn one but Verstappen was also off like a bullet. He climbed from seventh to fourth as he exited the first corner, briefly going off as he did so. Any hope that Hamilton’s Mercedes wingman Bottas might play a part in holding off Verstappen disappeared as he dropped from sixth to 11th on a poor first lap.

Verstappen in fourth trailed Alonso and Gasly but an error by the latter at the end of lap three allowed the Dutchman to take third and he set off after Alonso. Hamilton led with a four-second gap but Verstappen was charging and passed Alonso for second on lap five, the 24-year-old having overcome his penalty in under 10 minutes of racing.

The two leaders began the tit for tat slugfest of lap times that has become familiar this season as they exchanged fastest laps. Hamilton held the gap at five seconds with little to choose between them as they left the field behind.

By lap 13 however Hamilton began to show the pace he had demonstrated in qualifying, putting over six seconds on his rival while both maintained a ferocious pace, already 30 seconds up the road from Alonso in third.

With no answer to Hamilton’s pace Red Bull pitted Verstappen earlier than expected on lap 17 to take the hard tyre with a good, quick stop, committing to a two-stopper. Mercedes covered it off a lap later, also for the hard rubber, and Hamilton emerged solidly still in the lead, nine seconds up.

Verstappen closed to just over seven seconds but Hamilton was able to match his times and remain resolutely in control. Verstappen recognised he could not challenge. “Let’s have a bit of fun, we’re going to be second anyway,” he said and the team duly gave him the okay to hammer his tyres but he could still make no impression on the seven-second lead.

Bottas suffered a puncture on lap 34 but managed to nurse his car back to the pits. Verstappen duly pitted on lap 41 for his second stop and Hamilton did so a lap later. The world champion emerged still leading and with 10 seconds on Verstappen. It was more than enough for him to see out a very comfortable win, while Verstappen took a late stop to secure the fastest lap for the extra point, every one of which now looks to be absolutely vital.

Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel were in sixth and 10th for Aston Martin. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in seventh and eighth for Ferrari and Lando Norris ninth for McLaren. – Guardian