Qatar GP: Verstappen wins as strategy blunder dooms McLaren

Max Verstappen seized a vital win at the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix, slashing Lando Norris’s title advantage to just 12 points with one race to go after McLaren threw away control of the race with a misjudged early call under the lap-seven Safety Car.

What should have been a straightforward afternoon for the papaya cars unravelled spectacularly – and Verstappen needed no second invitation.

Oscar Piastri had appeared untouchable from pole. With overtaking notoriously difficult around high-speed Lusail, the Australian’s serene opening stint looked to have set the tone. But when Nico Hülkenberg tangled with Pierre Gasly and triggered a Safety Car on lap seven, McLaren made the defining error of the day: they stayed out.

• Qatar Grand Prix - Race results

Nearly the entire field ducked into the pits to bank their first of the mandatory two stops, required due to Pirelli’s 25-lap tyre limit. Piastri and Norris found themselves badly exposed and forced into a frantic chase to rebuild the pit-stop margin they’d just surrendered.

To their credit, both lit up the timing screens. They tore clear of the midfield, finally dropping Fernando Alonso’s immense DRS train by enough time to pit.

Piastri came in at the end of lap 24; Norris one lap later. But the damage had been done. By the time the second wave of stops concluded on lap 32, the McLaren duo were back ahead—but with Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, and Kimi Antonelli looming with fresh momentum.

Piastri Attacks, Verstappen Stands Firm

Sensing the race slipping away, Piastri urged McLaren to switch him onto new hard tyres for a late assault. He boxed on lap 42, determined to unleash a barrage of hot laps and force Verstappen into a defensive corner.

The pace was sharp—but not sharp enough. Verstappen’s metronomic consistency left no opening, and he crossed the line 7.9 seconds clear to claim one of his most important victories of the season.

Piastri salvaged second to keep his own title hopes alive, but Norris’s muted pace proved costly: he tumbled out of podium contention entirely.

Sainz Shines, Antonelli Slips, Russell Recovers

Carlos Sainz delivered a superb drive for third, capitalising early when Antonelli lost time in the Safety Car pit sequence. Although the Mercedes rookie looked set for fourth, a penultimate-lap off handed Norris the position.

Antonelli still banked strong points ahead of George Russell, whose nightmare opening phase –losing ground off the start and then queuing behind his teammate in the pits –left him marooned in the pack.

Late chaos helped him rally: Alonso spun, gifting positions to Russell and Isack Hadjar, before Hadjar suffered a puncture to move the Briton further up the order.

Alonso recovered to take seventh, followed by Charles Leclerc, who spent most of the race trapped in the Spaniard’s DRS freight train. Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda completed the top ten after a gruelling 57-lap chess match under the Qatari lights.

A championship shaken, a rivalry sharpened—and Verstappen very much back in striking distance.

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