F1 focus shifts in Qatar as teams fight for constructors’ title

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP):

Max Verstappen won big in Las Vegas with his fourth world title, but the fight for Formula 1’s biggest cash prize is hotting up this week in Qatar.

The lucrative constructors’ championship is still wide open with McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull battling for the title. The contest for teams is worth around US$140 million to the winners, though the precise payout depends on variables.

This weekend in Qatar, a sprint race today means extra points are on offer – a maximum of 59 for a team over the whole weekend.

McLaren lead by 24 points from Ferrari, with Verstappen’s Red Bull 29 further back. McLaren could seal their first constructors’ crown since 1998 tomorrow, wrapping up the title ahead of the final round in Abu Dhabi next week, but would likely need either a perfect weekend or for Ferrari to encounter problems.

McLaren’s Lando Norris beat Mercedes’ George Russell by just .063 of a second to take pole position yesterday for the today’s sprint race. Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri is third, .159 off the pace, ahead of the two Ferraris of Carlos Sainz Jr and Charles Leclerc. Verstappen is sixth.

“Great qualifying today, especially to bounce back from where we were last time out in Vegas,” said Norris, whose title chances ended with a sixth-place finish behind Verstappen in Las Vegas. “We’re coming here to get pole and we did that, so job done for today.”

Leclerc led the way in the sole practice session earlier Friday, with Norris 0.425 seconds slower and Piastri .047 further back. Verstappen was 11th fastest.

PLAYING THE TEAM GAME

McLaren’s bid is the new focus for Norris after his challenge for the drivers’ title ended last week in Las Vegas.

Norris on Thursday dismissed a reported claim from Verstappen that he could have won the crown earlier and suggested the Dutch driver try “comedy”. He then offered a suggestion of his own. “Red Bull probably would have won the constructors’ (championship) if they had two drivers as good as Max, that’s for sure,” Norris said.

The contributions of Piastri, who won the Qatar sprint race as a rookie last year, have been key to McLaren’s hopes. Ferrari’s Leclerc and Sainz have been close on the track – and sometimes too close for comfort – all year.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez is the only driver at the top three teams without a race win this year and he’s eighth in the standings with less than half of Verstappen’s points total. Perez was 18th fastest in practice yesterday and qualified 16th for the sprint, his latest dismal results.