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With Lewis Hamilton bagging a win from pole position at the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix, the race has undoubtedly shaken up the title fight. The Brit came into this weekend with a 14-point deficit to his Dutch rival Max Verstappen and has now narrowed the gap to eight points.
Lewis Hamilton was on top of his game at the Brazil Grand Prix, making up a total of 25 positions in the sprint and main races. And he continued that form at Qatar by dominating qualifying and the race.
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Verstappen has retained his place as the world drivers' championship leader on the grid with 18 points from finishing second and an extra point for the fastest lap. Damage limitation is definitely something Verstappen can take away from the weekend at Qatar.
With Sergio Perez finishing in P4 for Red Bull F1 and a DNF for Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas, the gap between the top two contenders for the constructors' title has now been reduced to five points, with Mercedes retaining the lead.
Lewis Hamilton continues streak of winning at every new track he visits
Lewis Hamilton's much-deserved win at the Qatar Grand Prix marks his 102nd win in F1. Throughout his time in sport, he has maintained a streak of winning at every new track that he has raced on for the first time. The win at Losail takes the 36-year-old's streak up to 12 wins at 12 new circuits - a testament to his talent and ability to adapt to unfamiliar venues.
Here's what Lewis Hamilton had to say post his win at the Losail International Circuit:
"The last two weeks have been amazing. But there's no time for celebrations, I'll be back in training tomorrow, back on it. I don't have many emotions, I'm just driven right now. They still have a fast car. These next two races are needing an even better performance."
With two consecutive race wins for Lewis Hamilton in the last two weekends, an eight-point gap to Max Verstappen, and two races to go, there is no doubt that the fight for the title this season will give us a head-on spectacle until the very end, with a glorious finale at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
