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The championship contender benefited from a tactical decision from the British team that contradicted decisions made by all other squads during an early race safety car period

This proved to be a expensive choice that gave up track position to Verstappen in the closing laps and in hindsight cost the victory for the Australian driver

Race Results and Title Consequences

Verstappen triumphed to take his seventh victory of the campaign, equalling Norris and Piastri, while the Australian was runner-up and the British driver fourth behind the Williams of Carlos Sainz

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

The championship leader has been left with a twelve point lead over his rival, who overtook his teammate by four points heading to the final race on December 5-7

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

Key Events of the Dramatic Grand Prix

• McLaren's choice not to stop when a safety car was deployed on the seventh lap for a crash between the French team's Pierre Gasly and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg
• A strategy led by the Australian to advance his final stop in a last-ditch effort to catch Verstappen proved unsuccessful
• A surprise podium finish for Sainz gifted by the team's tactical decision

How The British Team Lost Out in The Race

The fateful moment for McLaren was when the two drivers came together as the German tried to overtake the Frenchman around the exterior of Turn One on the seventh lap

Hulkenberg's car was left damaged beside the track This triggered the yellow flag

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

With the tire manufacturer imposing a 25-lap safety limit on the tires, that meant anyone who pitted at that time was committed to a rigid strategy with a additional pit stop on the thirty-second lap

Competitor Responses and After the Event Comments

Speechless

The McLaren driver added in his after-race interview: 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 couldn't secure victory

Verstappen stated: That represented an incredible race for us We made the correct decision to box That proved intelligent And super-happy to triumph in Qatar and remain competitive to the end, remarkable

Ultimate Grand Prix Positions

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

Looking Ahead

The all-important championship finale at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina The circuit itself does not create the most thrilling competition, but once again this evening event hosts an contest which promises to be every bit as dramatic as Vettel's first title in 2010, or Verstappen's highly controversial initial championship in 2021