2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix highlights

On the weekend where he was crowned a three-time world champion Max Verstappen took yet another dominant victory at the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, leading home the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

Click here to subscribe to our print edition!

Mario Isola, Motorsport Director, Pirelli:

This was a very demanding weekend on many fronts, which ended with a race that, given the circumstances, was interesting and closely contested. The committed and transparent collaboration between all of Formula 1’s stakeholders – the FIA, Formula 1, the teams and drivers – meant that there was a rapid and efficient reaction to solving a safety issue that involved us first-hand. Today, the sport is able to put on an interesting show for the spectators with a lot of overtaking and duels, despite the limitations imposed by the FIA. In the coming weeks, we will continue to analyse the tyres used this weekend to acquire as much information as possible and share that with the FIA.

From what we saw this evening, graining was a very significant factor with all the compounds. Its severity gradually decreased as the track rubbered in. Today the wind was much weaker than in the past days, which reduced the amount of sand and dust blown onto the track surface, even if it did not disappear completely. Thermal degradation also had an effect on tyre performance, with track temperatures never dropping below 36 °C.

How the race was won from the tyre point of view:

At the start of the day, the FIA decided to impose a maximum limit of 18 on the number of laps that could be completed by any set of tyres in the race. Earlier, Pirelli had presented the FIA with the findings of the analysis of the tyre sets returned by the teams yesterday, which showed there was not a significant enough reduction in the possibility of micro tears in the sidewall between the topping compound and the carcass cords because of the impact generated from repeatedly driving over the kerbs at some corners, as a result of measures introduced before the Sprint Shootout. This meant that three pit stops would be required for a driver to complete the 57 laps race distance.

For the start, the majority of drivers went with the Medium. The exceptions were Hamilton, Bottas, Magnussen and Lawson, who preferred to start on the Soft, while Perez, starting from pit lane, fitted a set of Hard. As expected, the C3 was only chosen by those who were looking to make up places at the start or in the closing stages of the race when the fuel load would be lower.

What’s next?

Formula 1 returns to the Americas on 20 October, with the United States Grand Prix being held in Austin on 22 October. The next weekend (27-29 October), the season moves on to Mexico City, and finally, the week after that, it’s the Sao Paulo Grand Prix (3-5 November). The Texas event again runs to the Sprint format, and the teams will be supplied with the C2 compound as P Zero White hard, C3 as P Zero Yellow medium and C4 as P Zero Red soft.

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix Race Results

2023 Constructor Standings

Pos	Picture	Team	Points
1.		Red Bull Racing	860
2.		Mercedes-AMG F1 Team	409
3.		Scuderia Ferrari	406
4.		McLaren Racing	302
5.		Aston Martin F1 Team	280
6.		Alpine F1 Team	120
7.		Williams Racing	28
8.		Scuderia AlphaTauri	25
8.		Alfa Romeo Racing	16
10.		Haas F1 Team	12

Here are the team-by-team highlights:

Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen wrapped up his Formula One world title-winning weekend at the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix with a dominant drive around the Losail Circuit to comfortably lead home McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris and record his 14th victory of the season.

The Dutch driver secured his third consecutive Drivers’ Championship title by finishing second in Saturday’s sprint race behind Piastri and joined a select group of drivers that includes Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet on three F1 world titles.

Victory in the sprint also allowed Verstappen to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of winning the F1 crown with six races still to be completed.

Verstappen and the Oracle Red Bull Racing team couldn’t celebrate too hard with Sunday’s main race still to run, and they carried on where they left off at the previous race in Japan with a dominant victory from pole position.

Despite the complications of a mandatory 18-lap tyre use limit being placed on teams due to degradation concerns on the new Losail Circuit surface, Verstappen controlled the race masterfully to secure victory over sprint winner Piastri by 4.833s, with Norris 5.969s behind Verstappen in third.

Victory in Qatar marked Verstappen’s 14th race win from the 17 races so far in 2023. Oracle Red Bull Racing, already the Constructors’ Championship winners this year, have also won all but one Grands Prix to date, the Singapore Grand Prix. The team has now won the Drivers’ and Constructors’ double for the sixth time.

After crashing out of Saturday’s sprint race, team-mate Sergio Pérez had a difficult day again in the second Oracle Red Bull racing RB19 and finished in the final points-scoring position in 10th.

Max Verstappen, Driver, Red Bull Racing

We had a really good race today. I think what really made it for me was the first stint, where we were strong and good on the tyres. I had a slow stop at the end, so the McLarens were quite close at the chequered flag, but they have been quick all weekend. Of course, with the mandatory three stops, we weren’t able to get the best out of our car as we are good on tyres, but we won, and that’s the main thing. My hunger for winning hasn’t stopped since winning the championship, I want to keep going and maximising the performance of the car each weekend.

Sergio Pérez, Driver, Red Bull Racing:

It was a difficult afternoon. Starting on the hard tyre really complicated things for us, especially with the early Safety Car. It meant we couldn’t warm up the tyres, and then we ended up losing positions and couldn’t make progress quickly enough and as much as we should have. By the time I got the temperature in the tyres, we had to pit due to the mandatory pit stops. We lost our car yesterday due to the incident in the Sprint, and we had a completely new car for today. It was, therefore, very difficult to draw conclusions with the car we had. We had to revert to the specifications. I really suffered with the new track limits, they were brought in very last minute, which I don’t think is right, but it is the same for everyone, and I should have done a better job. It was hard for me to judge them inside the car because I think, a little like in Austria, I’m sitting a bit too low, and that made things harder. I should have maybe altered that when the changes were implemented. Overall, we have plenty to look at, and I will be in the factory this week working hard with my team.

CHRISTIAN HORNER – CEO and Team Principal, Red Bull Racing

For Max, it was an incredible win. It’s been a very tough race, both physically and mentally, for all the drivers. In a race that was very prescriptive and sub-optimal to the fastest race, Max drove well and was very controlled, trying to manage the tyres. Having an enforced three-stop was not the fastest way to run that race, so it was a case of making sure we covered off the Safety Car possibilities and managed the deg, but the strategy team did their work, got their sums right and helped deliver the victory. For Checo, it was another tough race. The 15 seconds of penalties really impacted his overall performance and meant a missed opportunity to capitalise on points with Lewis out of the race. Checo just needs to get that form back that he had at the beginning of the season, and we know he can do it. He knows he can do it. He has our full support. We head west now and to the Americas, where Checo drives well, so we look forward to some stronger performances in the quest for second place.

Red Bull Racing Honda best pictures:

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage prior to the Sprint ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail International Circuit on October 07, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310070445 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: 2023 F1 World Drivers Champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with his team in parc ferme after the Sprint ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail International Circuit on October 07, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310070514 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: 2023 F1 World Drivers Champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing poses for a photo with Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner after the Sprint ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail International Circuit on October 07, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310070649 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 08: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 on track during the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail International Circuit on October 08, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310080460 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 08: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium during the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail International Circuit on October 08, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310080541 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 08: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with his team in the Pitlane after the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail International Circuit on October 08, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310080607 // Usage for editorial use only //

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

George Russell came home fourth, while Lewis Hamilton was an opening lap retirement at the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix.

On safety grounds, an 18-lap maximum stint on each tyre was mandated for the race. That meant every competitor had to make a minimum of three pit stops. Starting P2, George lined up on a used Medium tyre with Lewis on a new Soft in P3. After good launches, they made contact in turn one with Lewis retiring. Suffering a puncture, George was able to continue after a first lap stop, and his race became a four-stop. He ultimately ran a Medium, Medium, Hard, and Soft to the flag. His pace was very strong, and he was able to carve his way through the field to P4. Despite there being more on the table, the team managed to outscore Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship and extend the gap to 28 points.

Lewis Hamilton

It was a big opportunity to get some good points for the team, and in the heat of the moment, I didn’t really understand what had happened. I felt the tap from behind, but I didn’t think George had anywhere to go. It was a really unfortunate situation, and I feel really sorry for the entire team. Massive apologies to everyone back at Brackley and Brixworth, and I take full responsibility. Everybody is working incredibly hard, so it’s massively gutting to have a result like this. The positives are that the pace of the car was strong across the weekend. George was also able to do a good job of getting back through to score some important points.

George Russell

The incident at turn one was absolutely not intentional by either myself or Lewis. Visibility is so difficult in these cars, especially when you’re racing. There are big blind spots, and we both have so much respect for one another. We will make sure we come out of this stronger.

There are still lots of positives to take away from this weekend, though. Our goal is to get P2 in the Constructors’, and we managed to outscore Ferrari this weekend. Our pace was very strong, too, so we can be confident going into these final five races. The Grand Prix itself was incredibly tough. It was by far the most physical race I’ve ever competed. It was like being inside an oven! I was pretty happy to see the chequered flag.

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

We’ve had a tough run of races in the last month. You do get those in sports, though, and it’s a good test of how strong your team is. There’s very little else to say about the incident at turn one. Neither driver had the intention of coming together. Lewis took full blame for the incident, and George acknowledged the role that these sizeable cars can have in such moments. Ultimately both are upset that it’s cost the team a lot of points. We know both are committed to making sure we can secure second in the Constructors’.

We have five races to go, and we’re looking forward, not backwards. There are positives we can take away from Qatar. We had a good pace today; George recovered from dead last to fourth. Operationally, the team worked extremely well across a very challenging weekend. We have a decent car, two strong drivers and a very committed team in Brackley and Brixworth behind them.

Mercedes-AMG F1 Team best pictures:

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, Friday – LAT Images

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, Friday – Jiri Krenek

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, Friday – LAT Images

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, Friday – LAT Images

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, Friday – Sam Bloxham

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, Sunday – Sam Bloxham

Fernando finished sixth and Lance 11th under the lights amid the intense heat at Lusail International Circuit.

Fernando Alonso

It was an extreme race today with the hot conditions and perhaps one of the toughest we’ve faced. We also had an issue with the seat being very hot from around Lap 15, which made it quite challenging. We were competitive, though, and I’m happy to finish sixth after a few weekends where we didn’t have the pace. We finished ninth in Monza and eighth in Japan, and here I felt like we were in the mix. Perhaps as a sport, we can think about some measures in the future if we experience these extreme temperatures again.

Lance Stroll

We finished ninth on track today, with track limit penalties demoting us to 11th. It’s disappointing not to take any points away, having raced so hard in such physically demanding conditions. The temperatures we faced out there were extreme – more so than any other event – and there are lots of tight corners here, so you’re constantly battling the g-forces. There are positives to take away, though; the car had more pace today, and the team made some good strategy decisions with the regulated tyre constraints. The team in the garage did a great job in such challenging conditions, too.

Mike Krack, Team Principal:

We scored important points today, but it was not an easy race with the intense heat and tyre strategies available to us. They were tough conditions to go racing in, and we saw all the drivers needing to hydrate after the race. I don’t think there was much more available to us in terms of the overall results. We had a good opening stint, and the strategy calls were the right ones. Fernando suffered some floor damage after a trip through the gravel, which made it difficult to stay ahead of Charles [Leclerc]. Lance had a good recovery from his starting position and was on track for points without the post-race time penalties. It is clear we need to find more performance, and our full attention is on doing that for the upcoming races.

Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team best pictures:

action, Pit Stops, Lusail International Circuit, GP2317a, F1, GP, Qatar
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR23, makes a stop

detail, sponsors, brands, Lusail International Circuit, GP2317a, F1, GP, Qatar
Car details

portrait, forum, interview, Lusail International Circuit, GP2317a, F1, GP, Qatar
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin F1 Team, and Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, during a fan forum

Portrait, Lusail International Circuit, GP2317a, F1, GP, Qatar
Mike Krack, Team Principal, Aston Martin F1 Team, on the pit wall

Pit Stops, practice, Lusail International Circuit, GP2317a, F1, GP, Qatar
Aston Martin pit stop practice

VIPs, Portrait, Lusail International Circuit, GP2317a, F1, GP, Qatar
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, with David Beckham

Scuderia Ferrari

Scuderia Ferrari leaves Qatar with ten points, courtesy of a fifth place for Charles Leclerc in a race which was very much a case of damage limitation, given that Leclerc’s was the only Ferrari after a fuel system problem on Carlos Sainz’s 55 car meant he was unable to line up on the grid.

The team heads home to Italy tomorrow to start preparations for a particularly busy time in the Americas with a triple-header consisting of three consecutive Sundays in Austin, Mexico City and Sao Paulo.

Carlos Sainz #55

We are disappointed as today was a lost opportunity. We all know motorsport can be cruel at times, and today I got a taste of the worst of it. It’s a pity because I think I could have run a good race today and scored some important points for the Constructors’ Championship.

As in every situation, there’s always something to learn for the future. Now it’s time to focus on the last five races of the year.

Charles Leclerc #16

We maximized our potential today. It was a case of damage limitation, with Carlos already out just before the start. In the race, we had to give ourselves a bit of a margin with the way I was driving and bring it home safely. We expected McLaren to be strong, but not as strong as what we saw this weekend. Mercedes also had a strong pace, and I think that George (Russell) wasn’t pushing as hard as he could.

Physically, it was the toughest race of my career. That was due to a number of things: very high temperatures, three stops – which meant putting in qualifying laps in every lap of the race – and, as a result, much more stress in the high-speed corners.

Next up is the triple header, and we will do everything to finish the season on a high, especially in our battle in the Constructors’ Championship.

Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal

We can’t be satisfied with how things went this weekend because we lost points to our closest rival, and we were unable to get Carlos to the grid because of a reliability problem.

However, I think we did the most we could today with Charles. In extreme conditions, he drove very well, and the mechanics delivered three excellent pit stops. Maybe in the middle stint, we were slowed a bit by traffic, but anyway, it would not have been easy to keep George Russell behind us today. It was a chaotic weekend, held in very tough conditions with several unexpected factors, starting with the problems linked to the kerbs, which might have actually had something to do with the failure of Carlos’ SF-23. We go home with 10 points from Charles’ fifth place and will start preparing for the triple-header in the Americas, which looks like it will be very tough.

Scuderia Ferrari best pictures:

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

1 – GP QATAR F1/2023 – GIOVEDI’ 05/10/2023 – credit: @Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

1 – GP QATAR F1/2023 – GIOVEDI’ 05/10/2023 – credit: @Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

FERRARI F1 GP QATAR VENERDI 06/10/2023 credit @Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

FERRARI F1 GP QATAR VENERDI 06/10/2023 credit @Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

4 – GP QATAR F1/2023 – DOMENICA 08/10/2023 – credit: @Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

Hear from McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and Team Principal Andrea Stella after the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix.

Lando Norris

It was just a mega race from start to finish. We had a good opening lap. I learned from my mistake yesterday of going wide, I said I’d go tight, and I did, and it worked out. So, a good start; we had a good pace throughout the whole thing. Probably the best pace out there today, so I’m happy. Stressful, hot, sweaty, a little bit tired, but a great job for the team. Three in a row now. A 1.8-second pit stop as well!

I think the three-stop made it a lot harder physically. You could push a lot more. Even in the last stint, you could pretty much push flat-out. This was one of the hardest races I’ve done, but it’s a nice challenge and congrats to Oscar. Thank you to the team for their incredible work to put us in this position.

Oscar Piastri

Very, very happy. Turn 1 was nice. That was in the game plan before the race. We had a really impressive pace. It was definitely the hardest race I’ve had in my life. It was hot and basically flat-out the entire time. It was 57 qualifying laps, which I definitely feel that I’ve done. A really good race.

“My thanks go to the team for providing Lando and myself with a car that means we can fight at the front more consistently. There were some great strategy calls today and brilliant pit stops, and despite the challenging conditions, we were able to put it all together on the day. A great day.

Andrea Stella

A fantastic day for the team as we achieved our 500th podium in Formula 1. Both Lando and Oscar drove great races in difficult conditions to finish P2 and P3 to add to the success in the Sprint yesterday. A double podium rewards the team both trackside and at the factory for their brilliant work, and my thanks go to them for their continued commitment and dedication to McLaren.

“The tyre limitations provided an interesting challenge for the team as we had to adapt our strategy and prepare the team for six stops. However, they managed very well, and the brilliant work by the pit-stop crew saw the fastest stop of 1.8 seconds.

“We now turn our focus to a busy triple-header and continue to close the gap to our competitors. We must remain with our feet on the ground. However, for now, we will celebrate the success of a very strong weekend.

McLaren Racing’s best pictures:

Lando Norris, McLaren, 3rd position, arrives on the podium, 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, 2nd position, lifts his trophy, 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

Sprint pole winner Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL60, and Lando Norris, McLaren MCL60, arrive in Parc Ferme after the Sprint Shootout

Lando Norris, McLaren, and David Beckham, 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, 1st position, and Lando Norris, McLaren, 3rd position, talk in Parc Ferme after the Sprint race

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, 2nd position, Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren, Lando Norris, McLaren, 3rd position, and the McLaren team celebrate after the race

BWT Alpine F1 Team scored six points from the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix courtesy of Esteban Ocon’s seventh-place finish at the Lusail International Circuit. Pierre Gasly was running inside the points but fell short of the top ten after a series of penalties for track limit infringements.

It was a physically taxing 57-lap Grand Prix under the lights in Qatar, with three pit stops for both drivers during the race.

Esteban made a strong start, moving up to fifth place, with Pierre maintaining seventh. Both drivers later settled into a rhythm with double points at the target with varying pit-stop strategies up and down the grid.

Esteban settled for seventh with a comfortable run to the line, while Pierre was on the receiving end of three separate penalties for track limit infringements in the midst of fighting for the top ten. In the end, he finished in twelfth place.

Esteban Ocon:

What a tough and physically difficult race for all of us! In the end, it was a great result for us in seventh place and six points in the bag. We had a great start to move up to fifth, and credit to the team, too, for a well-executed strategy and pit stops. The conditions were extremely tough in the car, and I did not feel well physically in the first half of the race. I was able to pull it together and focus on what I needed to do. We had a couple of good overtakes along the way, and we brought home six valuable points for the team. Now it’s time for rest and recovery and then prepare for a demanding triple-header in the Americas, and we’ll look to carry this momentum into Austin.

Pierre Gasly:

There was potential to score points today, so, of course, I am disappointed in how the race played out. It was not a good day; it’s a matter of centimetres on track limits – that is on me, though – and today, I paid a big price for it. It’s frustrating, as we definitely had the pace to score solid points for the team. We had a small energy management issue to manage during the race, which cost me some pace. I probably tried to take too many risks and overcompensate for that and pushed too close to the limit. I’ll learn from it and move on. It’s been a fairly positive weekend for the team, we have lots to learn, and now we look forward to an intense triple-header coming up, starting in Austin.

Bruno Famin, Interim Team Principal:

We leave Qatar with more points on the board after Esteban’s seventh-place finish, a very smart, clinical and well-measured drive in challenging conditions. Pierre, too had a strong race – it looked promising for a good double team result – but unfortunately, his efforts went without reward due to penalties for track limits. We have lots to learn going forward, but, in summary, it’s been a positive weekend for the team across all three days. We will continue our hard work back at the factories, take as many learnings as we can and look to convert those into good team results in the Austin Sprint weekend.

Alpine F1 Team best pictures:

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

Logan Sargeant

Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance

Williams F1 Team best pictures:

Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams Racing.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Friday 6th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Friday 6th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Saturday 7th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Saturday 7th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams Racing.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Sunday 8th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams Racing.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Sunday 8th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Kevin Magnussen 14th and Nico Hulkenberg 16th at the Qatar Grand Prix, Round 18 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Lusail International Circuit.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team sits ninth in the Constructors’ Championship on 12 points heading to home soil next and the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

Kevin Magnussen

It was unbelievably hard and very hot. It seemed a lot hotter than any other race I’ve ever done. I think we had a positive day, although not from a points or Constructors’ Championship standings perspective. We lost a position there, which is very disappointing, but there are five races left. It’s a tight fight with those guys, but we’ve got to hang on and try our best to get them back. We get an upgrade next race, and we’re all very happy about that and excited to work with that upgrade. We’re not expecting a miracle for the first race maybe, and it might take a race or two to really get the most out of it, but there’s still some positive stuff to look forward to.

Nico Hulkenberg

I realized before I stopped, but you can’t reverse, and the damage was done, so that was obviously a big mistake from me today. That stopped our race before it even started. The conditions were very extreme. The heat, humidity, the pace was incredibly high with the new asphalt, so I think we’re all feeling it.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal:

The end of this spec car ended worse than it started, so we’re thankful to see the end of it, but today was also not a good day. Nico starting in the wrong grid spot at the beginning didn’t help at all because once you get 10 seconds behind at the start of the race where we are, you have no chance. We fought, but it wasn’t enough. We’ll come back to Austin with the upgrade, and hopefully, it works, and at least we know we’re doing things to move forward – we’re not sitting here waiting for the end of the season. We will work hard until the end of the season.

Haas F1 Team best pictures:

LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team during the Qatar GP at Losail International Circuit on Saturday October 07, 2023 in Losail, Qatar. (Photo by Andy Hone / LAT Images)

LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team, on the grid during the Qatar GP at Losail International Circuit on Saturday October 07, 2023 in Losail, Qatar. (Photo by Zak Mauger / LAT Images)

LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, QATAR – OCTOBER 08: Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team during the Qatar GP at Losail International Circuit on Sunday October 08, 2023 in Losail, Qatar. (Photo by Mark Sutton / LAT Images)

LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, QATAR – OCTOBER 08: Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team during the Qatar GP at Losail International Circuit on Sunday October 08, 2023 in Losail, Qatar. (Photo by Andy Hone / LAT Images)

LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, QATAR – OCTOBER 08: Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team, and Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team during the Qatar GP at Losail International Circuit on Sunday October 08, 2023 in Losail, Qatar. (Photo by Andy Hone / LAT Images)

LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, QATAR – OCTOBER 08: The Haas F1 pit crew tidy up after a stop during the Qatar GP at Losail International Circuit on Sunday October 08, 2023 in Losail, Qatar. (Photo by Andy Hone / LAT Images)

Alfa Romeo Racing Stake

Alfa Romeo F1 Team KICK celebrated a brilliant double-points finish at the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, as Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu claimed 8th and 9th positions, respectively. This result was the reward for a strong performance by the team as a whole, as drivers, pit crew and the whole of the race team delivered the perfect execution on race day.

Tonight’s result contributes six points to the team’s total of 16, as Alfa Romeo F1 Team KICK leapfrogs Haas for eighth place in the constructors’ championship and closes the gap on seventh place ahead.

Valtteri Bottas (car number 77):

Today has been a great day for us, and I am really pleased with the result we brought home. It was hot and humid out there, quite extreme actually, and the conditions made it an even tougher job, but we knew we had the potential to do well – and we achieved that, thanks to a clean strategy and a flawless race. This double-point finish is a great reward for the whole team, both here and back home in Hinwil, for the hard work done over the past weeks on the upgrades; we keep extracting more from this package, which is encouraging for the races ahead. With the points scored today, we got to improve our position in the Constructor Championship, moving up to P8, and we’ll keep working hard to advance further and meet our season target.

Zhou Guanyu (car number 24):

It was an amazing race, going from the back of the grid to the top ten: we had a good strategy, we managed the tyres well and did not make any mistakes, and all this was the key to tonight’s result. We were quick on the hard tyres, our pace on the final stint was fantastic, and this allowed us to keep up with our rivals: by the final stint, it was quite unclear where everyone was with the penalty, so it’s great to be ninth at the end. It was not an easy race. We had to pull off some good overtakes and defend hard at times: it was important to keep within track limits, but we managed well. I’m really exhausted, I’ve never been pushing so hard in such conditions, but this is an amazing reward for all of us after such a tough period. We never gave up when things were difficult, and today we put it together when it mattered.

Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative:

Tonight we were able to deliver the race we had been aiming for, for a very long time. We knew we had the potential to score points, but we had to execute the perfect race to bring home this result. The strategy was spot on, the pit stops were faultless, and the drivers delivered two solid performances, pushing from the first to the last lap with no mistakes. It’s a nice reward for all the work done by the team in Hinwil, our race team here and Ferrari: we keep bringing new upgrades to the track while also relentlessly continuing, in the factory, in the sim and trackside, to understand and extract performance from our evolving package. Tonight’s result boosts our confidence and reinforces our belief that we can score points in any race if we do our job like tonight. Now, we need to make another step forward and build on the foundations we laid tonight to keep growing as a team for the remainder of the season. Our target remains seventh place in the championship. We will never stop reiterating that. It will be difficult, it will be a fight, but we have the people, the drivers and the commitment we need for it. It will be hard, of course – but we will also make it hard for our competitors.

Alfa Romeo F1 Team best pictures:

Scuderia AlphaTauri drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson both missed the points in Qatar, with Tsunoda finishing the race in 15th position, while Lawson came home two places behind in 17th.

Liam Lawson

It was really tricky out there. From the start of the race, we had no speed, and throughout, we were managing some stability issues, so it’s something to analyse. It was very hot, and when you’re struggling with the car, it makes it even harder to extract the pace. It seems to be my last race with the team before Daniel comes back, so I want to say a big thank you to the team; it’s a shame to finish like this.

Yuki Tsunoda

Today was tough and felt hotter than Singapore, so it was definitely a challenging race. My start was good and smooth. I made up places and was in the points. It felt okay inside the car, and the balance was also good, but we were just too slow and couldn’t keep up the pace. It’s not easy to find a quick solution, but I’m confident that together with the team, we’ll look through the data and see how we can improve for the future. I think Liam might not be driving for us in Austin, so I want to say thank you to him because he did a very good job. I enjoyed the time together as good friends and teammates.

Guillaume Dezoteux – Head of Vehicle Performance

The race today was constrained by the maximum number of laps we could do on each tyre set, which was 18. For Liam, starting towards the back of the grid, we tried to start aggressively on the soft compound tyre in an attempt to attack other cars at the start and pit at the first opportunity, which happened during the Safety Car period. Unfortunately, Liam has been struggling to find the pace after his first stop. The pace in the third stint was closer to Yuki, and he was able to further improve towards the end of the race on the medium compound, but it wasn’t good enough to catch the cars in front. Yuki’s race was also difficult. In his third stint, he was able to stay with Magnussen, but a battle with him and Albon overstressed his tyres, and he started to lose ground. Since Singapore, we have been on a positive trend with our car performance, both in qualifying and the race, but here we didn’t manage to achieve the same. We need to analyse the balance evolution and tyre status because we can’t match our direct competitors today.

Scuderia AlphaTauri Team best pictures:

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C43.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Friday 6th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Alfa Romeo F1 Team on the grid.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Saturday 7th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C43.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Saturday 7th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C43 makes a pit stop.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Sunday 8th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team on the grid.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Sunday 8th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C43.
Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar Grand Prix, Sunday 8th October 2023. Doha, Qatar.

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 06: Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 06, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310061224 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 06: Sparks fly behind Liam Lawson of New Zealand driving the (40) Scuderia AlphaTauri AT04 during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 06, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310061327 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 06: Guillaume Dezoteux, Head of Vehicle Performance at Scuderia AlphaTauri looks on from the pitwall during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 06, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310061470 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive on the grid during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 07, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310070456 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 08: Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive on the grid prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 08, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310080390 // Usage for editorial use only //

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 08: Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 08, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202310080503 // Usage for editorial use only //