Verstappen Shifts Focus to Constructors' Title as Red Bull Aims for Qatar Victory

Posted : 28 November 2024

Max Verstappen, having recently secured his fourth consecutive world championship, will shift his focus from the drivers' title to the constructors' championship as he leads Red Bull into the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend.

Just days after clinching his fourth title with a controlled fifth-place finish at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Verstappen will aim to replicate his dominant pole-to-flag victory from last year at the Lusail International Circuit.

He holds the track's lap record, set in 2023, and will race with the confidence that comes with his recent success. However, he faces stiff competition from McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes, who are all vying for the coveted constructors' title.

McLaren leads the constructors' standings with 608 points, 24 ahead of Ferrari, who have 584, while Red Bull is third with 555 points. McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who were both contenders last week, will be looking to extend their lead as the team aims to secure their first constructors' title in years. Verstappen's dominance in last year’s race at Qatar, where he finished ahead of Norris and Piastri, suggests that McLaren will have a strong chance, especially given their improved performance in recent races.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who will leave the team to join Ferrari next season, brings additional interest to the Qatar race. Hamilton won the inaugural race in Qatar in 2021, and his performance at this year’s event could serve as a final farewell before his switch to Ferrari. While 2022 saw no race due to the World Cup, Hamilton will be keen to add another victory to his record before closing this chapter of his career.

Despite Verstappen’s recent dominance, he faces growing competition from Mercedes' George Russell, who won in Las Vegas and has expressed intentions to challenge for the 2025 title. Russell's belief in his team's ability to fight Verstappen in equal machinery signals that the 2024 season is far from over, and the prospect of an intense battle for supremacy in the coming years is growing. Russell's comments highlight the ongoing shifts in Formula 1, with teams like Mercedes looking to disrupt Verstappen’s reign.

With the constructors' title now the primary focus, Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari are all keen to secure the prestige and financial rewards that come with the championship. The estimated prize for the top team is around $140-150 million, with substantial differences in earnings for teams finishing in the top three. As Formula 1 continues to expand globally, particularly in the U.S., prize money and revenues are expected to increase, marking a pivotal time in the sport's financial evolution.

Verstappen Shifts Focus to Constructors' Title as Red Bull Aims for Qatar Victory

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