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Verstappen adds race win to his Qatar title weekend

DOHA : Max Verstappen won his first race as a triple Formula One world champion on Sunday after dominating a Qatar Grand Prix peppered with pitstops and penalties for a rash of track limit violations.

Max Verstappen claims 14th win of memorable title-winning campaign in Qatar Grand Prix

DOHA: Newly-crowned three-time world champion Max Verstappen cruised to his 14th win of an outstanding season for Red Bull on Sunday when he won an exhausting, frantic and often confusing Qatar Grand Prix.The 26-year-old Dutchman, who secured his third straight title win in Saturday’s sprint race, came home 4.838 seconds clear of McLaren’s rookie Oscar Piastri, who won Saturday’s sprint, and lapped his Red Bull team-mate, erstwhile title rival, Sergio Perez.Lando Norris finished third in the second McLaren ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, who survived a first-corner crash with team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who retired in the gravel.Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, the Italian team’s only runner after Carlos Sainz withdrew due to fuel issues before the start, finished fifth ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon of Alpine.Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo was eighth, Perez came home ninth and Zhou Guanyu 10th in the second Alfa Romeo, but their positions were reversed due to the Mexican’s time penalties.It was Verstappen’s 49th career victory and came complete with pole position and fastest lap, giving him a classic hat-trick to mark his triple title triumph.“I think what made my race was my first stint,” said Verstappen. “After that I could manage the pace and keep the tires in a good window, but the McLarens were quick and really pushed me.”Piastri, reflecting the feelings of all the drivers, said: “It was so hot.