Lewis Hamilton won Sunday's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix with a commanding performance from pole to cut Max Verstappen's world championship lead to eight points.

The Mercedes seven-time champion comfortably held off Verstappen's Red Bull under the Losail circuit's lights to leave the battle for the F1 drivers' crown delicately poised with only two races remaining.

Fernando Alonso took third for Alpine, the former two-time world champion's first podium since 2014.