Verstappen wins in safety car-hit race, Norris handed penalty

Max Verstappen overcame three safety cars to take an assured victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, as main threat Lando Norris copped a 10-second stop-go penalty for speeding under yellow flags.

Verstappen led every lap of the race to clinch his ninth victory of 2024 having overcome a fits-and-spurts threat from Norris, which was ultimately concluded when Norris was caught not slowing for yellow flags along the start-finish straight.

These were produced for Alex Albon’s escaped wing mirror, which was run over by Valtteri Bottas to produce a shower of debris along the straight – which was likely the culprit in a series of mid-race punctures for Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen outdragged polesitter George Russell off the line; the Briton had assumed pole when the Dutchman was given a one-place grid drop for baulking the Mercedes in qualifying.

Norris put Verstappen under scrutiny into the first corner having also claimed a good start, but was shown the door by Verstappen and left to sit in the Red Bull’s wheeltracks – although an early safety car for a clash between Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto, and Esteban Ocon gave Norris a chance at a restart overtake.

But this was well managed by Verstappen, who left Norris behind on the lap five restart and started to try and build a lead to clear DRS range. He managed this, but Norris’ laps ensured that he could at least remain within two seconds of his former title rival.

Although there was an ebb and flow between the two of about a tenth over the subsequent laps, Norris never looked like putting Verstappen under a realistic threat – although suddenly found half a second on Verstappen at the start of lap 30.

This was the smoking gun in Norris’ future penalty; Verstappen had slowed for the debris-induced yellow flags and Norris had not, although this was not realised before a chaotic phase introduced by Sainz and Hamilton simultaneously picking up front-left punctures.

The safety car was thus called out to clear the mess, prompting Verstappen and Norris to finally stop for the hard tyres. On the restart, Norris stayed close to the back of the leading RB20 – the safety car lights were late in going off – and got a run into Turn 1. This challenge, however, was defused expertly by Verstappen.

An immediate third safety car period followed due to Hulkenberg spilling his Haas into the gravel at Turn 9,…