Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri will contest a decisive championship clash in Abu Dhabi after Verstappen won a gripping Qatar GP
Verstappen benefited from a tactical decision from McLaren that contradicted decisions made by every other team during an initial safety car deployment
This proved to be a expensive choice that gave up track position to Verstappen in the closing laps and in hindsight cost the race win for Piastri
Race Results and Title Implications
The race winner triumphed to take his seventh win of the campaign, matching the McLaren drivers, while the Piastri was second and the British driver in fourth behind the Williams car of Carlos Sainz
Norris earned an additional points by overtaking the Mercedes driver's Mercedes on the second-to-last lap
Norris has been maintained a twelve point advantage over Verstappen, who overtook his teammate by four points heading to the final race on December 5-7
To win the championship, the British driver must secure a podium position at Abu Dhabi if his rival wins the race next Sunday
Key Moments of the Dramatic Race
- McLaren's choice not to pit when a yellow flag was deployed on the seventh lap for a crash between Alpine's Gasly and Sauber's Hulkenberg
- A decision led by Piastri to bring forward his final stop in a desperate attempt to catch the leader proved unsuccessful
- A surprise second podium for the Williams driver handed by McLaren's tactical decision
How The British Team Lost Out in Qatar
The critical point for the team was when Gasly and Hulkenberg collided as the Hulkenberg tried to pass the Gasly around the exterior of the first corner on lap seven
Hulkenberg's car was left damaged beside the circuit This triggered the yellow flag
The critical part of the timing was that it left exactly 50 laps left in the race
With Pirelli enforcing a 25-lap safety limit on the tires, that meant anyone who made a stop at that time was committed to a fixed plan with a additional pit stop on lap 32
Driver Reactions and Post-Race Statements
No words
The McLaren driver added in his after-race conversation: Obviously we made mistakes tonight My driving was the best race I could, as quick as I could, but there was nothing left out there Tried my utmost but couldn't secure victory
Verstappen said: This was an amazing performance for us Our team executed the correct decision to pit That proved smart Furthermore super-happy to win here and stay in the fight to the head, remarkable
Final Race Positions
- 1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
- 2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- 3. Sainz (Williams Racing)
- 4. Norris (McLaren)
- 5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes-AMG)
- 6. Russell (Mercedes-AMG)
- 7. Alonso (Aston Martin)
- 8. Leclerc (Scuderia Ferrari)
- 9. Lawson (RB F1 Team)
- 10. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
Looking Ahead
The all-important championship finale at the Yas Marina This venue does not produce the most exciting racing, but yet again this evening event features an contest which promises to be every bit as thrilling as Vettel's maiden championship in twenty-ten, or the Dutch driver's highly controversial initial championship in twenty-twenty-one
