Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson claimed the 25-lap limit at the Qatar Grand Prix led to a "pretty pointless" race after a safety car on lap 7 left all but two drivers on the same strategy, and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton argued that it was one of the "worst" grands prix strategically.
The safety car was deployed at the Losail International Circuit on lap 7 due to a collision between Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg. The drivers who pitted under the safety car on lap 7 were required to make their second pitstop on lap 32 and had no flexibility in strategy from that point forward.
