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Verstappen benefited from a strategy call from McLaren that flew in the face of decisions made by every other team during an initial safety car deployment

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

Race Results and Title Implications

The race winner won to take his 7th victory of the season, equalling the McLaren drivers, while the Piastri was second and the Briton in fourth behind the Williams of the Spanish driver

Norris won himself an extra two points by overtaking the Mercedes driver's Silver Arrow on the penultimate lap

The championship leader has been left with a twelve point lead over Verstappen, who moved ahead of his teammate by four points heading to Abu Dhabi on 5-7 December

To secure the championship, the British driver must finish at least third at Abu Dhabi if his rival takes victory next race day

Critical Events of the Thrilling Grand Prix

• The team's choice not to pit when a safety car was called on the seventh lap for a collision between Alpine's Gasly and the Swiss team's Hulkenberg
• A strategy led by Piastri to advance his last pit stop in a last-ditch effort to catch the leader came to nothing
• A surprise podium finish for the Williams driver handed by the team's strategy call

The Way McLaren Lost Out in Qatar

The fateful moment for the team was when Gasly and Hulkenberg came together as the German tried to pass the Frenchman around the outside of the first corner on the seventh lap

The German's car was damaged beside the circuit That brought out the safety car

The critical part of the timing was that it left exactly 50 laps left in the grand prix

With the tire manufacturer imposing a 25-lap maximum usage on the tyres, that meant anyone who pitted at that moment was committed to a fixed plan with a additional pit stop on lap 32

Driver Responses and Post-Race Statements

Speechless

Piastri added in his after-race conversation: Obviously we made mistakes tonight I drove the strongest performance I was capable of, as quick as I could, but there was no more pace out there Tried my utmost but didn't get it done

Verstappen stated: This was an incredible race for us We made the right call to box That proved smart Furthermore super-happy to triumph in Qatar and remain competitive to the head, remarkable

Ultimate Grand Prix Positions

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

What's Next?

The all-important title decider at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit This venue does not create the most thrilling competition, but once again this twilight race features an event which appears set to become every bit as thrilling as Sebastian Vettel's first title in 2010, or the Dutch driver's much-debated first title in twenty-twenty-one