Either side of the Interlagos wildness, the other final sprint events of the 2024 Formula 1 season bear significant similarities that pile focus on Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and the Ferrari drivers. The key difference between Austin and Qatar, however, is that so far both McLaren and Mercedes have dominated the victory hunt.
The prospect of a four-team win scrap over what is expected to be the first normal grand prix at the Losail circuit since its inaugural 2021 event – Pirelli still hasn’t seen anything like the minuscule sidewall lacerations that so changed race day here last year – is tantalising.
