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Verstappen capitalized on a strategy call from the British team that flew in the face of decisions made by every other team during an early race safety car deployment

This proved to be a costly decision that sacrificed track position to Verstappen in the closing laps and in hindsight cost the victory for the Australian driver

Race Results and Championship Consequences

The race winner won to take his seventh win of the season, matching the McLaren drivers, while the Australian was second and the Briton in fourth behind the Williams of Carlos Sainz

The McLaren driver won himself an additional points by overtaking Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes on the penultimate lap

Norris has been maintained a twelve point lead over his rival, who moved ahead of his teammate by four points heading to the final race on December 5-7

To win the title, the British driver must secure a podium position at Yas Marina if Verstappen wins the race next Sunday

Critical Events of the Dramatic Race

• The team's choice not to stop when a yellow flag was called on the seventh lap for a collision between the French team's Pierre Gasly and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg
• A strategy initiated by Piastri to advance his last pit stop in a last-ditch effort to challenge the leader proved unsuccessful
• A unexpected podium finish for the Williams driver handed by McLaren's tactical decision

How The British Team Lost Out in Qatar

The critical point for the team was when the two drivers collided as the Hulkenberg 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 This triggered the yellow flag

The critical part of the timing was that it meant there were 50 laps remaining in the race

With Pirelli enforcing a 25-lap maximum usage on the tyres, that meant anyone who made a stop at that time was committed to a rigid strategy with a additional pit stop on lap 32

Driver Responses and After the Event Comments

Speechless

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

Verstappen said: That represented an incredible race for us We made the right call to pit That proved smart Furthermore super-happy to win here and stay in the fight to the head, remarkable

Ultimate Race Standings

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

Looking Ahead

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