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Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix 2024 preview: the team title is on the line

At this point, the Constructors' Championship is McLaren's to lose

By Bruce Brown Nov 26, 2024 1:57 PM

Formula 1 race cars during the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. — Courtesy of Formula 1

The penultimate Grand Prix of the 2024 F1 season takes place in Doha, Qatar, from November 29 to December 1. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen wrapped up the F1 Drivers’ Championship on November 23 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but the Constructors’ Championship is still up for grabs.

Why the Qatar Grand Prix is a tough race

Temperatures and tight turns. The Qatar Grand Prix is held at Lusail International Circuit in the desert bordering the Persian Gulf in the Middle East. Even though it’s a night race, last year’s temperature was in the upper 80s, which added to the drivers’ discomfort. The race is seven weeks later on the calendar this year, and temperatures are forecast to be in the low 70s. That should help.

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The Qatar Grand Prix is held at Lusail International Circuit, a 3.37-mile track designed for motorcycle racing. During last year’s race, several drivers were penalized for track limit violations. Track limit violations usually occur in corners when all four wheels are outside the track, even for a fraction of a second, which usually happens when one or more cars are trying to overtake another.

The F1 Constructors’ Championship standing

Most F1 fans root for drivers who compete for the Drivers’ Championship, but the Constructors’ Championship is more significant for the teams financially. Drivers win Championship points when they finish in the top 10 places in a race, starting with 25 points for the winner and gradually dropping to 1 point for the tenth-place finisher. Constructors’ points consist of the combined points of the two drivers on the team. At the end of the season, the F1 Organization pays financial awards to teams based on the Constructors’ points.

Even though Max Verstappen won more races and earned more points than any other driver, the other Red Bull driver, Sergio Perez, has not had a great season compared to the combined results of the two drivers for the McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes teams. A maximum of 96 points are possible from the last two races of the year, so Ferrari or Red Bull could theoretically outscore McLaren. For that to happen, both McLaren drivers would have to score very few points, which doesn’t seem likely, given their strong performances this year.

Current 2024 Constructors’ Championship points

McLaren Mercedes	608
Ferrari	584
Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT	555
Mercedes	425
Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes	86
Haas Ferrari	50
Alpine Renault	48
RB Honda RBPT	46
Williams Mercedes	17
Kick Sauber Ferrari	0

Bruce Brown Contributing Editor As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce… Read Full Bio

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