🔗 Share this article

The championship contender capitalized on a strategy call from the British team that flew in the face of decisions made by all other squads during an initial safety car deployment

It was a costly decision that gave up track position to Verstappen in the final stages and in hindsight cost the race win for Piastri

Grand Prix Results and Title Implications

Verstappen won to take his 7th win of the campaign, matching the McLaren drivers, while the Australian was runner-up and the British driver in fourth behind the Williams car of Carlos Sainz

Norris won himself an additional points by overtaking the Mercedes driver's Silver Arrow on the second-to-last lap

Norris has been left with a 12-point lead over his rival, who moved ahead of Piastri by four points heading to the final race on December 5-7

To win the title, the British driver must finish at least third at Abu Dhabi if his rival takes victory next Sunday

Key Events of the Dramatic Grand Prix

• The team's choice not to stop when a yellow flag was called on lap seven for a crash between Alpine's Gasly and the Swiss team's Hulkenberg
• A decision initiated by the Australian to bring forward his final stop in a desperate attempt to challenge the leader came to nothing
• A unexpected second podium for Sainz handed by McLaren's strategy call

The Way McLaren Lost Out in The Race

The critical point for the team was when the two drivers came together as the German tried to overtake the Gasly around the outside of Turn One on lap seven

The German's car was left damaged beside the track This triggered the yellow flag

The crucial part of the timing was that it meant there were 50 laps remaining in the race

With Pirelli enforcing a twenty-five lap safety limit on the tyres, that meant anyone who pitted at that time was committed to a rigid strategy with a second stop on the thirty-second lap

Driver Responses and Post-Race Comments

No words

The McLaren driver added in his after-race interview: Clearly we didn't get it right tonight I drove the best race I could, as fast as I could, but there was no more pace out there Attempted my utmost but couldn't secure victory

The race winner stated: That represented an incredible race for us Our team executed the right call to pit It was intelligent Furthermore extremely pleased to triumph in Qatar and remain competitive to the head, incredible

Ultimate Grand Prix Positions

• 1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• 2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren Racing)
• 3. Carlos Sainz (Williams Racing)
• 4. Norris (McLaren Racing)
• 5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes-AMG)
• 6. Russell (Mercedes)
• 7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin F1)
• 8. Leclerc (Ferrari)
• 9. Lawson (Racing Bulls)
• 10. Tsunoda (Red Bull)

Looking Ahead

The all-important championship finale at the Yas Marina This venue does not create the most exciting competition, but yet again this evening event features an event which appears set to become every bit as thrilling as Vettel's maiden championship in 2010, or the Dutch driver's much-debated first title in twenty-twenty-one