🔗 Share this article

Verstappen benefited from a tactical decision from the British team that flew in the face of decisions made by all other squads during an initial safety car period

This proved to be a expensive choice that gave up track position to the Red Bull driver in the final stages and retrospectively cost the victory for the Australian driver

Grand Prix Results and Title Consequences

Verstappen triumphed to take his 7th victory of the season, equalling Norris and Piastri, while the Australian was second and the Briton fourth behind the Williams of the Spanish driver

The McLaren driver earned an extra two points by overtaking Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes on the second-to-last lap

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

To secure the championship, Norris must secure a podium position at Abu Dhabi if his rival wins the race next race day

Key Moments of the Dramatic Race

• The team's decision not to pit when a yellow flag was deployed on the seventh lap for a collision between Alpine's Gasly and the Swiss team's Nico Hulkenberg
• A decision initiated by the Australian to advance his final stop in a desperate attempt to catch Verstappen proved unsuccessful
• A unexpected second podium for Sainz handed by the team's strategy call

How McLaren Lost Out in Qatar

The critical moment for McLaren was when the two drivers collided as the German tried to overtake the Gasly around the exterior of Turn One on the seventh lap

Hulkenberg's car was left damaged beside the track That brought out the safety car

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

With the tire manufacturer imposing a 25-lap maximum usage on the tires, that meant anyone who pitted at that time was committed to a fixed plan with a additional pit stop on the thirty-second lap

Driver Responses and After the Event Comments

No words

Piastri commented in his after-race conversation: Obviously we didn't get it right tonight I drove the best race I could, as quick as I could, but there was no more pace out there Attempted my best but couldn't secure victory

Verstappen said: This was an amazing performance for us We made the right call to box That proved intelligent And super-happy to win here and stay in the fight to the end, incredible

Final Grand Prix Positions

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

Looking Ahead

The crucial championship finale at the Yas Marina This venue does not produce the most exciting racing, but once again this twilight race features an contest which appears set to become every bit as thrilling as Vettel's first title in twenty-ten, or the Dutch driver's highly controversial first title in 2021