The 23rd round of the Formula 1 season took place at the Qatar Grand Prix under the lights of the Lusail International Circuit, where strategy, not pace, ultimately decided the Qatar Grand Prix.
Despite the McLaren team dominating the weekend from practice to qualifying, it was Max Verstappen who emerged with the victory, executing a perfect race that kept both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris behind him in a crucial late-season race of the driver championship. After this race, Verstappen now joins Piastri and Norris with seven wins this season.
The race took an early twist on Lap 7 when contact between Nico Hülkenberg and Pierre Gasly brought out the safety car. With the grid slowing, nearly every team pitted immediately, aware of tire supplier Pirelli’s strict rule for the event that no tire could be used for more than 25 laps.
With Qatar’s 57-lap distance, every driver was guaranteed at least three mandatory stints, adding an extra layer of strategic tension.
Verstappen was running second after Turn 1 and most of the front-runners boxed immediately, while McLaren kept both Piastri and Norris out in an unusual gamble that briefly left them exposed. McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella later admitted the pit wall misjudged the situation.
Meanwhile, Red Bull immediately recognized the advantage of stopping under the safety car.
The moment mirrored the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix restart, with McLaren alone staying out as the rest of the grid dived into the pit lane. On Lap 57, Antonelli “Kimi” Antonelli fumbled, allowing Norris to gain 2 valuable points by finishing fourth.
As the race resumed, Verstappen’s undercut advantage became clear. The Red Bull driver managed his tires with precision, gaining time on each stint while keeping McLaren within striking distance. Piastri maintained a strong pace throughout the first phase, but the early decision to stay out ultimately put him on the back foot.
Last year, when Carlos Sainz Jr. joined the Williams Racing team, everyone questioned why he chose a team that scored only 17 points in the prior season. Sainz proved them wrong.
On a track where Williams usually struggles, he delivered a podium finish, their second one of the season.
With the midfield surprises behind, attention now shifts fully to the title fight.
Now the question becomes: does Papaya rule come to effect?
If Verstappen leads in Abu Dhabi and Piastri is third with Norris fourth, will the pit wall make a call or let them race?
For Norris to win the championship, he needs to finish on the podium. For Verstappen to win the title, Lando must finish lower than fourth.
For Piastri, the job is tougher. He has led the standings for 186 days since the Jeddah Corniche Circuit and now must win the next race, with Lando finishing at least sixth.
If Piastri loses the championship by 3 points, he’ll look back at the Italian GP swap. We’ve seen in 2021 how a championship can be decided on the very last lap.
After the race, Verstappen was asked about Sebastian Vettel’s 2010 championship run in Abu Dhabi, where Vettel overcame a 15-point gap.
Verstappen responded, “Those are great stories, of course, but we go there with a positive mindset.” The championship now goes down to the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 7.
