Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and McLaren's Piastri will battle for a final-race championship clash in Abu Dhabi after Verstappen won a thrilling Qatar Grand Prix
The championship contender capitalized on a tactical decision from the British team that contradicted decisions made by every other team during an early race safety car period
It was a costly decision that sacrificed track position to the Red Bull driver in the closing laps and retrospectively cost the race win for the Australian driver
Grand Prix Results and Championship Implications
The race winner won to take his 7th victory of the season, matching Norris and Piastri, while the Australian was runner-up and the Briton in fourth behind the Williams of Carlos Sainz
The McLaren driver earned an additional points by overtaking Kimi Antonelli's Silver Arrow on the second-to-last lap
The championship leader has been maintained a 12-point advantage over his rival, who moved ahead of Piastri by four points heading to the final race on December 5-7
To win the championship, Norris must finish at least third at Abu Dhabi if his rival takes victory next Sunday
Key Moments of the Thrilling Race
- The team's choice not to stop when a safety car was called on the seventh lap for a crash between Alpine's Gasly and Sauber's Hulkenberg
- A decision led by Piastri to advance his final stop in a desperate attempt to challenge the leader proved unsuccessful
- A surprise second podium for Sainz gifted by the team's strategy call
The Way McLaren Missed Out in The Race
The fateful moment for the team was when Gasly and Hulkenberg came together as the German tried to overtake the Frenchman around the outside of Turn One on lap seven
Hulkenberg's car was left damaged beside the track This triggered the yellow flag
The critical part of the timing was that it left exactly 50 laps left in the race
With the tire manufacturer imposing a 25-lap safety limit on the tyres, that signified anyone who pitted at that moment was locked into a rigid strategy with a second stop on lap 32
Competitor Reactions and After the Event Statements
Speechless
Piastri commented in his after-race interview: Clearly we didn't get it right tonight I drove the strongest performance I was capable of, as fast as I possible, but there was no more pace out there Tried my utmost but didn't get it done
Verstappen said: This was an incredible race for us Our team executed the right call to box It was smart And extremely pleased to win here and stay in the fight to the end, remarkable
Ultimate Grand Prix Standings
- 1. Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2. Piastri (McLaren)
- 3. Sainz (Williams Racing)
- 4. Norris (McLaren)
- 5. Antonelli (Mercedes-AMG)
- 6. George Russell (Mercedes-AMG)
- 7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin F1)
- 8. Charles Leclerc (Scuderia Ferrari)
- 9. Lawson (RB F1 Team)
- 10. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull Racing)
Looking Ahead
The crucial title decider at the Yas Marina Circuit This venue does not create the most exciting racing, but yet again this evening event features an contest which promises to be every bit as thrilling as Vettel's first title in 2010, or Verstappen's much-debated first title in 2021
