Verstappen wins Qatar Grand Prix, Piastri second

1 hour ago 3

Updated December 1, 2025 — 5.35am

Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix for Red Bull on Sunday to take the Formula One title battle with McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to a season-ending showdown in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

Briton Norris finished fourth, behind the Williams of Spaniard Carlos Sainz, with his lead slashed to 12 points as Verstappen’s third win in a row in Qatar moved him up to second in the standings.

Second placed McLaren driver Oscar Piastri looked dejected following the race.

Australian Piastri finished second, after starting on pole position and winning the Saturday sprint, and dropped to third overall and four points behind four-times world champion Verstappen.

The top three drivers now each have seven wins for the season.

“That’s a very lovely race,” Verstappen said on team radio after his 70th career win. “Great job everyone.“

Norris can still become the first British driver to win the championship since Lewis Hamilton clinched the last of his seven titles in 2020. But having entered the Qatar GP weekend with a 24-point lead over both his rivals, Norris is now 12 points ahead of Verstappen and 16 clear of Piastri, who dropped to third overall.

“Speechless,” a dejected-sounding Piastri said. “I don’t know any words.“

McLaren’s gamble backfires

Piastri started on pole position ahead of Norris, with Verstappen starting from third.

Although Verstappen overtook Norris heading into the first turn, Piastri made a clean start and took a comfortable lead early on.

A strategy error cost McLaren after an early safety car prompted a flurry of tyre changes, but both McLarens stayed out on track when Verstappen and the others came in.

This played into Verstappen’s hands and the elated Dutchman climbed out of his car and jumped into the arms of his mechanics and engineers after winning.

Mechanics change tyres on Piastri’s vehicle.

The safety car came out after Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber was sent spinning off the track on lap seven after being clipped by Alpine driver Pierre Gasly.

The decision to stay out on track was questioned over team radio by Norris, in a race where drivers had to take two mandatory pit stops over the 57 laps — a measure imposed on safety grounds due to a high risk of tyre degradation at the Lusail International Circuit.

Changing tyres behind the safety car constituted the equivalent of a free change, with no time lost. The McLaren team gambled on holding track position, leaving them at risk later on.

Reuters, AP

More to come