MAX VERSTAPPEN and Lewis Hamilton are continuing their epic title tussle in Qatar this weekend.
After the Mercedes star stormed back to win in style last week in Brazil, the season now heads to the desert and the Losail Circuit.
Get set for three days of high-octane racing, starting with practice today where Verstappen has already shown his speed by going fastest in FP1.
- UK start time: FP2 from 2pm
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports F1/NOW TV
Follow all the latest with our live blog from Qatar below…
ALL OVER
That’s it for today, Bottas finishes top while Gasly comes in at second.
While Verstappen and Hamilton end the second practice in third and fourth respectively.
STANDINGS
Here’s how things stand with only 10 minutes to go.
- Bottas 1:23.148
- Gasly +0.209
- Verstappen +0.350
- Hamilton +0.422
- Norris
- Stroll
- Tsunoda
- Perez
- Vettel
- Sainz
MAX OVERLAP
Max Verstappen has flown past Hamilton.
But he’s still only third, behind Pierre Gasly and more than three tenths behind Bottas out in front.
GASLY SPEEDS
Pierre Gasly has overtaken Lewis Hamilton to clinch second on the timesheet for AlphaTauri with a speed of 0.209s.
SLOW MAX
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finishes lap 0.4 seconds down on Valtteri Bottas.
That 1:23.579, which leaves him fourth, isn’t much quicker than what he managed on the medium tyres.
PEREZ TROUBLE
Sergio Perez was going for a hot lap, but encountered traffic around the Turns 4-5 double right complex.
Slow-mo shots of Perez on the pit straight show the top edge of his rear wing flapping to an alarming degree.
MAX SPEED
Valtteri Bottas only went a half-second faster than Max Verstappen on the soft tyre.
BOT SPOT
Valtteri Bottas is the first on-track and lowers his existing benchmark at the top of the timesheet.
Lewis Hamilton only makes a small improvement himself and stays second.
TOP OFF
Ferrari had the engine cover off Charles Leclerc’s car. They seem to have fixed the problem and he looks set to resume.
PROBLEM FOR HAMILTON?
Strange. He is out of his Merc. There could yet be another big development here in Doha.
FP2 IS GO – GREEN LIGHT IN QATAR
Second session is underway here. Verstappen topped FP1 and remember, has been told he will not face any further retrospective action from his defence to Hamilton in Brazil.
NO MOVEMENT
Lewis Hamilton has slammed the press for suggesting his steering wheel moved in the Brazil GP.
When asked about his steering column’s alleged movement, Hamilton said: “My steering column doesn’t move forwards and backwards.
“We had that last year, we don’t have it now. On Saturday there was a little bit of play in it, less than a millimetre probably, that I don’t like so they had to change the column and (then) there was no play.
“So I’m not really sure what you’re watching.”
MAX LET OFF
Mercedes have had their request to review Max Verstappen’s move on Lewis Hamilton DENIED by Formula One stewards.
The incident occurred on lap 48 of the Brazil GP as Verstappen cut in front of Hamilton, forcing both men off the track.
The Brit ultimately went on to win the race and cut Verstappen’s lead in the driver standings to just 14 points.
But Mercedes still pressed for F1 stewards to review the footage with Verstappen possibly facing a penalty.
After FOUR days of deliberation the request has been denied and Verstappen has escaped without punishment.
New footage had emerged from Verstappen’s on-board camera, but that has been deemed ‘relevant’ but not ‘significant’ by the FIA.
NOT FAIR
Ralf Schumacher has questioned Mercedes engine change and thinks they shouldn’t have been allowed to do so mid-season.
According to Ralf, engines should only be changed when needed, not because of wear and tear which was the case for Mercedes.
He told Sky: “Mercedes only changed it because it was showing too much wear from the previous races. It wasn’t broken,” the German insists.
“But that’s not the point of Formula 1. I find it a bit questionable.
“In my opinion, an engine should only be changed when it has to be. And if Mercedes has more wear and tear and less performance than the others, that’s their problem.
“You shouldn’t be able to take advantage like this.”
LEW ARE BRILLIANT
Lewis Hamilton has been praised by fans for wearing a rainbow helmet at the Qatar Grand Prix in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Homosexuality is criminalised in Qatar, where this weekend’s crucial race takes place.
During today’s practice, Hamilton donned a rainbow-coloured helmet, in solidarity with those that are persecuted simply for their sexuality in the gulf state.
The back of the helmet featured the message: “We stand together.”
Fans were impressed with the 36-year-old’s gesture.
One wrote on social media: “WAIT is Hamilton wearing a pride flag on his helmet this weekend in f***ing QATAR? I love this man.”
A second added: “Big balls move, like it.”
And another commented: “I may not be a fan of him but I can f***ing respect that.”
FP1 IS DONE – VERSTAPPEN LEADS THE WAY
The Red Bull man draws first blood in his battle for the title.
Pierre Gasly is second, Valtteri Bottas is third. Lewis Hamilton in fourth.
HAMILTON IS NOW OUT ON TRACK
But his late run is going to be scuppered as Mick Schumacher goes into the gravel.
His Haas picks up a lot of stones and while he is running again, he is dropping them all over the track. What a mess.
INTERESTING SCENES IN THE MERC GARAGE
Some work being done on Hamilton’s car and the team have formed a human shield around his car to prevent the TV cameras from showing what they are working on.
Let the games begin!
HALFWAY STAGE
It is Verstappen, Bottas and Hamilton…
Game on.
TYRE TESTING
So with the early runs completed and every driver well in to double figures for laps, Pirelli report that all the compounds have been used.
Why is that relevant? Teams, including Pirelli, have limited amount of information on how their tyres work on this circuit, which is predominately used for MotoGP.
The teams will use all the data gathered to build detailed simulations and software models to work out how long each tyre will take to heat up, and how long it will last in these conditions.
VERSTAPPEN SETS THE EARLY BENCHMARK
The Dutchman sits at the top of the timesheets after 25 minutes, as the drivers get used to the track.
Hamilton is in P4.
MORE IMAGES OF LEWIS’S LID
Special helmet in Qatar with the message “we stand together” on the back.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THIS TRACK?
Well, it’s pretty flat. And boring, as circuits go, this is not a patch on Silverstone, Spa, Interlagos or Monza.
PROBLEMS FOR HAMILTON
The defending champion says he is “massively down on power” as sets a time that is only 14th quickest.
All eyes on Mercedes at the moment, especially with that rear wing, which failed scrutineering in Brazil, triggering his disqualification from qualifying.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
