Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen clinched a crucial victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, reviving his hopes for a fifth consecutive Formula 1 world championship title. His victory sees him sandwiched between McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. With this win, Verstappen is well alive forcing a tense finale now at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix next weekend.
The Qatar GP win came after a dramatic turn of events triggered by a Safety Car incident on lap seven. The collision between Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly led to McLaren teammates Piastri and Lando missing an early pit stop, while second-placed Verstappen capitalized on the opportunity.
Did McLaren’s strategy backfire?
The decision not to pit their two cars at the end of lap seven proved costly for McLaren. Team principal Andrea Stella admitted they didn’t expect everyone else to pit, which made their choice seem wrong in hindsight. This strategic misstep allowed Verstappen, who was right behind them in the Safety Car queue, to only need one more stop and ultimately secure victory.
Pole-setter and sprint race winner Piastri remains frustrated
Piastri expressed his disappointment after the race, having seen a potential victory slip away due to McLaren’s lap-seven strategy decision. Despite finishing second, he was clearly frustrated with the outcome. Earlier, he had set the pole and had clinched also clinched the sprint race, gaining valuable points.
Meanwhile, F1 2025 leader Norris finished fourth after gaining a place on the penultimate lap but missed out on crucial points that could have secured his first title with a round to spare. Williams Carlos Sainz finished third between the two McLaren drivers.
Standings after 23 races and what’s in store at Abu Dhabi
Despite being seemingly out of the running at the summer break, Verstappen is now just 12 points behind Norris with Piastri trailing his teammate by 16 points. After 23 races this season, Norris is atop with 408 points. Meanwhile, Verstappen went ahead of Piastri and is 2nd. He owns 396 points. Meanwhile, Piastri has dropped to third. He has 392 points under his belt.
The outcome of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 7 will be crucial in determining the champion. If Verstappen wins and Norris finishes outside the top three, it could lead to a thrilling three-way decider for the title.
Verstappen seals his 70th race win and 126th podium
Verstappen picked up his 7th race win of the season. He also owns 14 podium finishes from 23 races. Overall in F1, Verstappen owns a total of 70 race wins. In terms of podiums, Verstappen owns a tally of 126.
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