🔗 Share this article

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

This proved to be a expensive choice that sacrificed track position to the Red Bull driver in the closing laps and retrospectively cost the race win for Piastri

Grand Prix Outcome and Championship Consequences

The race winner triumphed to take his 7th win of the season, matching Norris and Piastri, while the Piastri was runner-up and the British driver fourth behind the Williams car of Carlos Sainz

Norris earned an extra two points by overtaking the Mercedes driver's Silver Arrow on the second-to-last lap

The championship leader has been maintained a twelve point advantage over Verstappen, who moved ahead of Piastri by four points heading to the final race on December 5-7

To win the title, Norris must secure a podium position at Yas Marina if his rival wins the race next race day

Critical Events of the Dramatic Race

• The team's choice not to pit when a yellow flag was deployed on lap seven for a collision between Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Sauber's Hulkenberg
• A strategy initiated by the Australian to bring forward his last pit stop in a desperate attempt to catch Verstappen proved unsuccessful
• A surprise podium finish for Sainz handed by the team's strategy call

The Way McLaren Missed Out in The Race

The critical point for the team was when Gasly and Hulkenberg collided as the Hulkenberg tried to pass the Frenchman around the exterior of the first corner on lap seven

Hulkenberg's car was damaged beside the track This triggered the yellow flag

The critical part of the timing was that it meant there were 50 laps left in the grand prix

With Pirelli enforcing a 25-lap maximum usage on the tires, that meant anyone who made a stop at that moment was locked into a rigid strategy with a additional pit stop on lap 32

Driver Responses and Post-Race Statements

No words

Piastri commented in his after-race interview: Obviously we didn't get it right tonight I drove the strongest performance I could, as fast as I could, but there was nothing left out there Attempted my utmost but couldn't secure victory

The race winner stated: This was an amazing performance for us Our team executed the right call to box It was intelligent Furthermore extremely pleased to triumph in Qatar and remain competitive to the head, remarkable

Ultimate Race Positions

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

Looking Ahead

The all-important title decider at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina This venue does not create the most exciting competition, but yet again this twilight race features an contest which promises to be every bit as dramatic as Vettel's first title in twenty-ten, or the Dutch driver's much-debated initial championship in 2021