Fresh off clinching his fourth consecutive World Championship title, Max Verstappen heads to the Qatar Grand Prix with his sights set on keeping Red Bull in the hunt for the constructors’ crown.
The Dutchman’s fifth-place finish in Las Vegas last weekend was enough to secure his status as a quadruple world champion, but the 27-year-old isn’t ready to wind down just yet. Returning to the Lusail International Circuit, where he holds the lap record from last year, Verstappen will look to replicate his dominant pole-to-flag win from 2023. However, with McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes all vying for supremacy in the team standings, Verstappen and Red Bull face an uphill battle.
The constructors’ championship is poised for a thrilling finale, with McLaren leading on 608 points, 24 clear of Ferrari’s 584, and Red Bull in third on 555. With just two races left in the season, including a sprint in Qatar, every point is critical.
McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will be aiming to build on their impressive form, having claimed the top two spots in Las Vegas. Piastri’s sprint victory in Qatar last year also makes the pair strong contenders to challenge Verstappen this weekend.
Meanwhile, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who won the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix in 2021, is preparing for his final outings with the Silver Arrows before his highly anticipated move to Ferrari next season. George Russell, buoyed by his win in Nevada, has already set his sights on 2025, declaring his intention to challenge Verstappen if Mercedes can deliver competitive machinery.
“Nobody is unbeatable,” said Russell. “You go through periods of dominance in this sport, but we all believe we can take the fight to Max when everything comes together.”
For Verstappen, the focus is firmly on maximising points for Red Bull in the constructors’ battle. “Winning the drivers’ title was an incredible moment, but the season isn’t over yet,” he said ahead of the Qatar race. “We want to keep the momentum going and score as many points as we can for the team. Bring it on!”
The constructors’ championship carries huge prestige and financial rewards, with the top team reportedly earning around $140-150 million in prize money. The runners-up are believed to take home $130-135 million, with a decreasing scale for the rest of the field. The prize pool is expected to grow significantly in 2026, when General Motors’ Cadillac brand joins the grid, reflecting F1’s booming popularity.
This week also brought good news for fans of the sport, as the Italian Grand Prix secured its future with a new six-year deal running through to 2031. With Formula 1 continuing to grow in global stature, the stakes have never been higher on and off the track.
As the paddock descends on Qatar, the focus will be on whether Verstappen and Red Bull can rise to the challenge once more, or if McLaren and Ferrari can seize the initiative in a constructors’ contest that promises to go down to the wire.
