The 25-lap limitation imposed by Pirelli for its tyres across the punishing Lusail Worldwide Circuit introduced on an odd Qatar Grand Prix – but it surely was made yet-stranger by McLaren’s response to a Lap 7 Security Automobile.
Oscar Piastri – polesitter and dominant winner of the day prior to this’s Dash race – appeared set for a simple victory as he steadily pulled away from Max Verstappen within the early laps, with Lando Norris caught behind the Pink Bull in third.
However because the seventh lap started, Nico Hulkenberg, in attempting to take his Sauber across the exterior of Pierre Gasly for ninth place by means of Turns 1-2, interlocked wheels with the Alpine and spun his closely broken automotive to the aspect.
