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The championship contender benefited from a tactical decision from McLaren that flew in the face of decisions made by every other team during an initial safety car period

It was a expensive choice that gave up track position to Verstappen in the final stages and in hindsight cost the race win for the Australian driver

Grand Prix Results and Title Consequences

Verstappen won to take his 7th win of the season, matching the McLaren drivers, while the Australian was runner-up and the Briton fourth behind the Williams of the Spanish driver

Norris won himself an additional points by overtaking Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes on the second-to-last lap

The championship leader has been maintained a 12-point lead 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 finish at least third at Abu Dhabi if Verstappen takes victory next race day

Critical Events of the Dramatic Grand Prix

• McLaren's choice not to pit when a safety car was deployed on the seventh lap for a collision between Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg
• A strategy led by Piastri to advance his final stop in a desperate attempt to challenge Verstappen proved unsuccessful
• A surprise second podium for the Williams driver gifted by McLaren's strategy call

How The British Team Lost Out in Qatar

The fateful point for McLaren was when Gasly and Hulkenberg collided as the German tried to pass the Frenchman around the outside of Turn One on the seventh lap

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

The crucial 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 tyres, that meant anyone who made a stop at that time was committed to a fixed plan with a additional pit stop on the thirty-second lap

Driver Responses and Post-Race Statements

Speechless

The McLaren driver commented in his post-race conversation: Obviously we didn't get it right tonight I drove the best race I was capable of, as quick as I could, but there was nothing left out there Attempted my best but couldn't secure victory

Verstappen stated: That represented an incredible race for us We made the correct decision to pit That proved smart And super-happy to triumph in Qatar and stay in the fight to the head, remarkable

Final Race Positions

• 1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• 2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren Racing)
• 3. Sainz (Williams)
• 4. Lando Norris (McLaren)
• 5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
• 6. Russell (Mercedes)
• 7. Alonso (Aston Martin F1)
• 8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
• 9. Liam Lawson (RB F1 Team)
• 10. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull Racing)

What's Next?

The all-important title decider at the Yas Marina This venue does not produce the most exciting racing, but once again this twilight race hosts an event which appears set to become every bit as dramatic as Vettel's maiden championship in 2010, or the Dutch driver's highly controversial initial championship in twenty-twenty-one