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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 early race safety car period

This proved to be a expensive choice that sacrificed track position to Verstappen in the closing laps and in hindsight threw away the victory for Piastri

Race Results and Championship Consequences

The race winner won to take his seventh win of the campaign, equalling Norris and Piastri, while the Piastri was runner-up and the Briton fourth behind the Williams of Carlos Sainz

Norris won himself an extra two points by passing Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes on the penultimate lap

Norris has been left with a 12-point lead over his rival, who moved ahead of his teammate by four points heading to Abu Dhabi on 5-7 December

To win the championship, the British driver must finish at least third at Yas Marina if his rival takes victory next Sunday

Critical Events of the Dramatic Race

• The team's decision not to pit when a safety car was deployed on the seventh lap for a collision between the French team's Gasly and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg
• A decision led by the Australian to bring forward his last pit stop in a last-ditch effort to challenge the leader came to nothing
• A unexpected second podium for Sainz handed by McLaren's tactical decision

How The British Team Lost Out in Qatar

The fateful point for the team was when the two drivers collided as the Hulkenberg tried to overtake the Frenchman around the outside of Turn One on lap seven

Hulkenberg's car was damaged beside the circuit This triggered the safety car

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

With the tire manufacturer imposing a twenty-five lap safety limit on the tires, that meant anyone who made a stop at that time was locked into a fixed plan with a second stop on the thirty-second lap

Competitor Responses and After the Event Statements

Speechless

The McLaren driver added in his post-race conversation: Clearly 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 utmost but didn't get it done

The race winner stated: That represented an incredible race for us We made the correct decision to box It was intelligent Furthermore extremely pleased to win here and remain competitive to the end, incredible

Final Race Standings

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

What's Next?

The all-important title decider at the Yas Marina The circuit itself does not create the most exciting competition, but once again this evening event hosts an contest which promises to be every bit as thrilling as Vettel's maiden championship in 2010, or the Dutch driver's much-debated first title in 2021