Verstappen wins after Mercedes collide on opening lap

One day after clinching his third world title, Max Verstappen celebrated in emphatic style by cruising to victory at Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver showed no signs of a hangover as he dominated the 57-lap race from the front to stay ahead of the two McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in second and third, who secured their second double podium in as many grand prix.

It was the new champion's 14th win of the season; with five races remaining, he is just one victory shy of equalling his own record of 15 victories in a season, set last year.

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Verstappen's Qatar victory was helped when Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who started behind him in second and third, collided in the first corner.

It's unlikely either would have been a match for Verstappen, but after dropping to last place on the opening lap, Russell put in an impressive drive to recover to fourth by the finish.

Hamilton was taken out in the incident, which ripped his right rear tyre from its rim and dumped him in the gravel on the outside of the corner. He later accepted responsibility for the accident.

"I don't think George had anywhere to go," he said. "I think it was just an unfortunate scenario, I'm happy to take responsibility as that's my role. I need to go back and look at it, but I don't feel it was George's fault."

The grand prix was punctuated by flurries of pit stops after concerns about the integrity of Pirelli's tyres over Losail's harsh "pyramid" kerbs led the FIA to cap tyre life at 18 laps, effectively ensuring a minimum of three stops over the 57-lap race.

It made for constant action and forced Russell onto a four-stop strategy as he pitted on the first lap following his tangle with Hamilton on Lap 1.

McLaren's impressive form, which saw Piastri win Saturday's sprint race ahead of Verstappen, means the team is now 11 points off Aston Martin for fourth place in the constructors' championship and the additional prize money that comes with it. 

Charles Leclerc secured fifth to round out a disappointing weekend for Ferrari, which lost ground to Mercedes in its battle for second place in the championship. Leclerc's teammate Carlos Sainz failed to start the race after a fuel system issue ruled him out before his car left the garage for the grid.

Fernando Alonso took sixth place for Aston Martin in a difficult race that saw a rare unforced error midway through, dropping him behind Leclerc. Alonso had complained of an excessively hot seat during the race.

Esteban Ocon took seventh for Alpine ahead of a double points finish for Alfa Romeo, with Valtteri Bottas eighth and teammate Zhou Guanyu in ninth. The precious points move Alfa Romeo ahead of Haas for eighth place in the constructors' standings.

Sergio Perez took the final point on offer in another underwhelming performance in the second Red Bull. The Mexican racked up two five-second penalties for exceeding track limits during the race. 

Along with Sainz, who didn't start the race, and Hamilton, who retired on Lap 1, Logan Sargeant also failed to see the chequered flag after feeling unwell in the intense heat of the desert race.