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Verstappen benefited from a strategy call from McLaren that contradicted decisions made by all other squads during an initial safety car deployment

This proved to be a costly decision that gave up track position to Verstappen in the final stages and retrospectively cost the victory for the Australian driver

Grand Prix Outcome and Championship Consequences

Verstappen triumphed to take his seventh victory of the campaign, equalling the McLaren drivers, while the Australian was second and the Briton in fourth behind the Williams of the Spanish driver

The McLaren driver earned an additional points by overtaking the Mercedes driver's Mercedes on the second-to-last lap

Norris has been left with a twelve point advantage over his rival, who moved ahead of his teammate by four points heading to Abu Dhabi on December 5-7

To secure the title, the British driver must finish at least third at Yas Marina if Verstappen wins the race next race day

Critical Events of the Thrilling Race

• McLaren's decision not to stop when a safety car was deployed on lap seven for a crash between the French team's Gasly and the Swiss team's Hulkenberg
• A strategy led by the Australian to bring forward his final stop in a desperate attempt to catch the leader came to nothing
• A surprise second podium for the Williams driver gifted by McLaren's strategy call

How The British Team Missed Out in Qatar

The fateful point for the team was when the two drivers collided as the German tried to pass the Frenchman around the exterior of Turn One on the seventh lap

Hulkenberg's car was left 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 grand prix

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

Driver Reactions and After the Event Statements

No words

The McLaren driver added in his post-race conversation: Clearly we made mistakes tonight I drove the strongest performance I could, as fast as I could, but there was nothing left out there Attempted my best but couldn't secure victory

Verstappen stated: This was an incredible race for us We made the right call to box It was intelligent Furthermore super-happy to triumph in Qatar and remain competitive to the end, incredible

Final Race Positions

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

Looking Ahead

The crucial championship finale at the Yas Marina Circuit This venue does not produce the most thrilling competition, but once again this evening event hosts an contest which appears set to become every bit as thrilling as Vettel's first title in twenty-ten, or the Dutch driver's much-debated first title in twenty-twenty-one