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Verstappen capitalized on a strategy call from the British team that flew in the face of decisions made by every other team during an initial safety car period

It was a expensive choice that gave up track position to Verstappen in the final stages and in hindsight cost the race win for Piastri

Race Results and Championship Consequences

Verstappen won to take his 7th win of the campaign, matching Norris and Piastri, while the Piastri was runner-up and the British driver fourth behind the Williams car of Carlos Sainz

Norris earned an extra two points by passing the Mercedes driver's Silver Arrow on the second-to-last lap

The championship leader has been left with a 12-point advantage over Verstappen, who moved ahead of his teammate by four points heading to the final race on 5-7 December

To secure the title, the British driver must finish at least third at Yas Marina if his rival takes victory next race day

Key Moments of the Thrilling Grand Prix

• The team's choice not to pit when a yellow flag was called on the seventh lap for a crash between Alpine's Pierre Gasly and the Swiss team's Hulkenberg
• A decision led by Piastri to bring forward his final stop in a last-ditch effort to challenge the leader proved unsuccessful
• A unexpected podium finish for the Williams driver handed by McLaren's strategy call

How The British Team Missed Out in Qatar

The fateful moment for McLaren was when Gasly and Hulkenberg collided as the Hulkenberg tried to pass the Frenchman around the outside of the first corner 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 left exactly 50 laps remaining in the race

With the tire manufacturer enforcing a 25-lap safety limit on the tyres, that meant anyone who made a stop at that time was committed to a fixed plan with a second stop on lap 32

Driver Responses and Post-Race Statements

Speechless

Piastri commented in his after-race conversation: Obviously we didn't get it right tonight My driving was the best race I could, as fast as I could, but there was no more pace out there Tried my best but didn't get it done

The race winner said: This was an amazing performance for us Our team executed the correct decision to pit It was intelligent Furthermore super-happy to win here and stay in the fight to the head, incredible

Final Grand Prix Positions

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

Looking Ahead

The all-important title decider at the Yas Marina The circuit itself does not create the most exciting competition, but yet again this twilight race features an contest which promises to be every bit as thrilling as Vettel's maiden championship in twenty-ten, or the Dutch driver's much-debated first title in twenty-twenty-one