Lusail, Qatar – Max Verstappen of Red Bull snatched victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, prolonging Lando Norris' championship dream and setting up a dramatic showdown in Abu Dhabi. The race, held at the Lusail International Circuit on Sunday, saw Verstappen capitalize on a McLaren strategy miscue and his own skill to claim a crucial win.
Oscar Piastri, who started on pole, finished second, further intensifying the title race. Lando Norris, who entered the weekend with a significant lead in the driver standings, finished a disappointing fourth, allowing Verstappen to close the gap. Carlos Sainz of Williams took third place, rounding out the podium.
The race took a dramatic turn following a collision between Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly on Lap 7, resulting in a safety car. Most teams seized the opportunity to pit, but McLaren opted to keep Piastri and Norris out on track. This decision forced the McLaren drivers to build a gap over the field, as all drivers had to complete two pit stops due to the enforced 25-lap maximum stint length on all Pirelli tire sets.
Verstappen, who had started third and quickly overtaken Norris, pitted under the safety car and shadowed Piastri in the opening laps. The McLaren strategy ultimately backfired, allowing Verstappen to gain the lead after Piastri and Norris made their subsequent pit stops.
Piastri rejoined in a comfortable second place and demonstrated strong pace throughout the race. However, Norris struggled after his pit stop, unable to clear Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli, hindering his progress. Norris managed to pass Antonelli on the penultimate lap to secure fourth.
"This was an incredible race for us," Verstappen said after his win. "We made the right call as a team to box under that Safety Car. That was smart. I'm super happy to win here. We stay in the fight until the end.".
The result dramatically tightened the championship standings. Norris now leads Verstappen by just 12 points, with Piastri a further 4 points behind. This sets the stage for a thrilling finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where any of the three drivers could potentially clinch the title.
The top ten finishers were completed by Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), George Russell (Mercedes), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), and Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull).
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of the 2025 Formula 1 season, will take place on December 7th and will decide the fate of the drivers' championship.
