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Verstappen benefited from a tactical decision from the British team that contradicted decisions made by all other squads during an early race safety car deployment

This proved to be a expensive choice that gave up track position to the Red Bull driver in the closing laps and retrospectively threw away the victory for Piastri

Grand Prix Results and Championship Consequences

The race winner won to take his 7th win of the season, equalling Norris and Piastri, while the Australian was runner-up and the Briton in fourth behind the Williams of Carlos Sainz

Norris won himself an additional points by passing the Mercedes driver's Silver Arrow on the penultimate lap

Norris has been left with a twelve point advantage over Verstappen, who overtook his teammate by four points heading to the final race on 5-7 December

To secure the championship, the British driver must finish at least third at Abu Dhabi if Verstappen wins the race next Sunday

Critical Moments of the Thrilling Grand Prix

• The team's choice not to pit when a yellow flag was deployed on the seventh lap for a crash between the French team's Pierre Gasly and the Swiss team's Hulkenberg
• A decision led by Piastri to bring forward his final stop in a desperate attempt to catch the leader came to nothing
• A unexpected podium finish for the Williams driver gifted by McLaren's tactical decision

The Way McLaren Lost Out in Qatar

The critical point for McLaren was when Gasly and Hulkenberg came together as the German tried to overtake the Frenchman around the outside of Turn One on lap seven

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

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

With the tire manufacturer enforcing a twenty-five lap safety limit on the tires, that signified anyone who made a stop at that time was committed to a rigid strategy with a additional pit stop on the thirty-second lap

Driver Responses and Post-Race Statements

No words

Piastri added in his post-race conversation: Obviously we didn't get it right tonight I drove the best race I was capable of, as fast as I possible, but there was nothing left out there Attempted my best but didn't get it done

The race winner stated: That represented an amazing performance for us Our team executed the correct decision to box It was smart And extremely pleased to win here and remain competitive to the head, incredible

Ultimate Grand Prix Standings

• 1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
• 2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
• 3. Sainz (Williams)
• 4. Norris (McLaren Racing)
• 5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
• 6. Russell (Mercedes)
• 7. Alonso (Aston Martin F1)
• 8. Leclerc (Scuderia Ferrari)
• 9. Lawson (Racing Bulls)
• 10. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull Racing)

What's Next?

The all-important championship finale at the Yas Marina Circuit This venue does not create the most thrilling competition, but once again this twilight race hosts an contest which promises to be every bit as thrilling as Vettel's first title in 2010, or the Dutch driver's much-debated first title in 2021