Formula 1: Reigning champion eliminated after Qatar Grand Prix

As a die-hard F1 fan with years of racing history etched into my memory banks, I must say, the 2024 season has been nothing short of exhilarating! With Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari battling it out for the constructor championship, every race has been a nail-biting affair.

2024 is set to bring a fresh Formula 1 constructor titleholder, perhaps even one who has not held the title for a considerable amount of time.

As the Qatar Grand Prix race weekend unfolded at Lusail International Circuit, there remained 103 points up for grabs by each constructor: 44 points per Grand Prix (both Qatar and Abu Dhabi), along with an additional 15 points from the sprint race in Qatar.

Grand Prix winners score 25 points, and runners-up score 18. An additional point is awarded to the driver who runs the race’s fastest lap, provided he finishes inside the top 10. In sprint races, winners score eight points, and runners-up score seven points.

In the current standings, McLaren holds a 53-point advantage over Red Bull, who have won the last two constructor championships. Placed in the middle is Ferrari, with a 24-point gap behind McLaren.

Over the course of the weekend, Red Bull accumulated a total of 26 points. Eight of these came from Max Verstappen’s eighth-place finish during the sprint race, while the remaining 25 were earned by Verstappen’s win in the Grand Prix. Sergio Perez did not earn any points for Red Bull during this time.

Although Verstappen clinched his fourth consecutive title a week earlier in Las Vegas and had the most points among all drivers in Qatar, it was Red Bull who were outscored by both McLaren and Ferrari in this race. The gap between McLaren and Ferrari narrowed slightly from 24 to 21 points, but McLaren significantly increased their lead over Red Bull, which grew from 53 to 59 points.

And there are now just 44 points remaining on the table for each constructor.

Since 1998, McLaren hasn’t clinched the constructor title because they were excluded from the 2007 season over the espionage scandal. Similarly, Ferrari has yet to win it after 2008.

In simpler terms, Lando Norris from McLaren is eight points ahead of Charles Leclerc from Ferrari in the battle for second place, while Oscar Piastri of McLaren leads Carlos Sainz Jr. from Ferrari by 19 points for fourth position. It’s important to note that Oliver Bearman earned six points for Ferrari during the race in Saudi Arabia.

Initially, it seemed Red Bull was cruising towards their third consecutive championship with ease during the early part of the season. However, Perez struggled and now finds himself in 8th position, a significant gap away from the Mercedes pairing of George Russell (6th) and Lewis Hamilton (7th). The Mercedes team has maintained a steady 4th place in the constructor standings for quite some time.

Red Bull could potentially overtake Ferrari for the second position, but it’s quite challenging given they are currently 38 points behind.

Get ready for the live broadcast of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from Yas Marina Circuit, airing on ESPN2 at 7:55 a.m. ET this coming Sunday, December 8th. Sign up now for a free trial of FuboTV and witness the finale of the historic 24-race 2024 season without missing a moment!

2024-12-02 14:32