Lewis Hamilton has just made it a back to back wins in two races, in his quest to overtake leader Max Verstappen in the race for the world championship, as he finished first to clinch the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday.
The wins mean that Lewis Hamilton has further closed the gap to Max Verstappen to just 8-points, with two races to go in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi next month.
Verstappen fought his way to second after a five-place grid penalty and took the point for fastest lap.
Alpine’s Fernando Alonso took a superb third in the just concluded Qatar Grand Prix, his first podium since the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Alonso had been trying to hold off a late charge from Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, but a late virtual safety car put the place beyond doubt.
Earlier, Perez had been poised for a close fight for third with the second Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas until the Finn suffered a puncture just after half distance.
And three further punctures created extra tension in the closing laps.
Qatar Grand Prix:
After another weekend of controversy and ill-temper between the two title-contending teams, it was one of Hamilton’s easiest wins of the season, and the seven-time champion appeared to have the pace to have triumphed whether Verstappen had been penalised or not.
The Dutchman was found to have not seen a double waved yellow flag at the end of qualifying, and although Red Bull pleaded mitigating factors – that the cockpit and trackside light-warning system had been turned off – officials said they had no choice but to punish him.
The penalty dropped Verstappen to sixth on the grid, but he was fourth by the end of the first lap and second after five.
By that point, the Red Bull was only 3.7 seconds behind Hamilton but the Mercedes driver continued to stretch ahead until his lead was 8.2secs by the time Verstappen made his first pit stop on lap 17.
Hamilton followed him in the next time around to secure his position and the pattern of the race was set.
They stopped a lap apart again on laps 41 and 42 and the only matter still in dispute was the point for the fastest lap.
Verstappen already had it before making a late pit stop for soft tyres to make absolutely sure.
What Happens Next After The Qatar Grand Prix?
A welcome break after three race weekends in a row, before a double-header climax – a new circuit in Saudi Arabia and then a much-changed Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton and Mercedes look strong, but Verstappen has the points gap. A decider at the final race would be the popular outcome and it looks to be heading that way.