Qatar GP: Verstappen sets title race alight as McLaren makes strategy blunder

Max Verstappen clinched a crucial victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, taking points off Lando Norris as he took the chequered flag ahead of Oscar Piastri.

On a night of strategy with Pirelli’s two stops in play, Verstappen claimed the win ahead of Piastri and Carlos Sainz.

Max Verstappen wins in Qatar!

Lining up on the Qatar Grand Prix grid, Piastri put his MCL39 on pole position ahead of Lando Norris, but trailed his teammate by 22 points in the standings. Max Verstappen qualified third, 25 points down on Norris who he went into the race having to beat to stay in the title fight.

There was a minor note of concern for Piastri as the pole-sitter arrived on the grid with McLaren filing down a small piece of his MCL39. The FIA had warned before the grand prix weekend that tyre wear was a concern, as was damage from the gravel traps, and implemented a mandatory two-stop strategy.

And so began the 57-lap race with a 25-lap cap on tyre wear.

Piastri made a flying getaway from the grid with Norris losing out to Verstappen in a moment of wheelspin. Kimi Antonelli was up to fourth ahead of Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, George Russell and Isack Hadjar. Lewis Hamilton was up to 14th. Yuki Tsunoda was noted for track limit violations on Lap 3 already as he ran P16.

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Five laps in, Verstappen, running second but two seconds behind Piastri and complained about the balance of his car, as the front left tyre started to take a beating. Race leader Piastri was managing his tyres.

Race strategy, and notably the mandatory two-stop strategy, was thrown into the mix on Lap 7 when Nico Hulkenberg crashed out of the grand prix in an incident with Pierre Gasly. “I can’t believe this, unbelievable,” reported Hulkenberg.

Verstappen was the first to pit with neither McLaren in while Mercedes double-stacked its drivers. It meant Verstappen could, 25 laps on, stop for his second and final pit stop. But both McLarens still needed to make two stops. Will Joseph told Norris his rivals had lost “all flexibility” in their pit stops.

The drivers lined up for the restart with Piastri ahead of Norris, Verstappen, Sainz, Antonelli and Alonso. Norris was told his rivals behind him, ie Verstappen, would all be pitting on lap 32.

Piastri set off on the restart to lead Norris by a second even before a full lap had passed. Verstappen meanwhile managed his tyres and dropped two seconds down on the McLaren. Esteban Ocon, serving a penalty for a jump start, was given a five-second penalty for that infringement.

Racing towards lap 25, and the mandatory pit stop window that McLaren had yet to take, Piastri was told good pace by McLaren while Verstappen, who had stopped, was told he could push a bit harder.

Running in the 1:25s, Verstappen was eight seconds down on the race-leading McLaren of Piastri but showing good pace ahead of Sainz and Antonelli.

Behind them, Alonso was leading a DRS train of eight cars that lap after lap opened a gap for McLaren to pit its drivers.

End of Lap 24, McLaren were waiting in the pit lane, and in came Piastri – who was sans an issue clear of Alonso. He swooped in, 3.1s, and came out just ahead of Alonso. Norris was in at the end of 25, the limit set by Pirelli. 2.2s. And out just behind his teammate and ahead of Alonso.

One pit stop down, one to go.

The field lined up with Verstappen ahead of Sainz, Antonelli, Piastri and Norris- the leading trio having pitted on lap 7, Piastri on lap 24 and Norris on 25. Piastri cleared Antonelli with sheer speed into Turn 1, Charles Leclerc complained about Russell’s track limits, and Norris was warned about his third track limit violation.

Verstappen and Sainz were in on lap 32, the Dutchman leading by 17s when he stopped. Antonelli also had to stop with Piastri into the lead by four seconds ahead of Norris. Behind the McLaren teammates, the order on lap 33 was Verstappen, Sainz, Antonelli, Alonso, Hadjar, Russell, Leclerc and Lance Stroll.

McLaren told its drivers to push as they should be “faster” than Verstappen who was 3.5s down on second-placed Norris but with a pit stop in hand.

As Piastri pulled away, seven seconds clear of Norris and eight ahead of Verstappen, told McLaren he wanted to box now, lap 41 of 57, and try to “chase him down”. Piastri was in on lap 43, returning to the track on new hard tyres but 15s down on Verstappen. Norris came in a lap later, in from the lead and out behind Piastri, Sainz and Antonelli.

Lap 50 of 57 began with Verstappen leading by 13 seconds ahead of Piastri, with Sainz a further nine seconds off the pace ahead of Antonelli and Norris. The championship leader was 26s away from P1. Sainz complained “oh no” as he had understeer that was costing him.

Lap 55, Verstappen was a comfortable 11 seconds clear of Piastri, who was still running ahead of Sainz, Antonelli and Norris. The latter, although within DRS range, wasn’t able to attack the Mercedes-powered Antonelli. A puncture for Hadjar put him out of contention for a points finish. A moment from Antonelli at the start of the final lap opened the door for Antonelli to take fourth.

Verstappen went on to clinch the win, his seventh of this season ahead of Piastri, Sainz and Norris. The end result being Norris leads by 12 points ahead of Verstappen with Piastri dropping to third, a further four off the pace.

Antonelli, Russell, Alonso, Leclerc, Lawson and Tsunoda completed the top ten.

Qatar Grand Prix Result:

Oliver Bearman Haas
Nico Hulkenberg Sauber

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