Max Verstappen claimed victory in Qatar, making a significant leap in the championship. The Dutchman started strong, overtaking Lando Norris before the first turn and demonstrating his invincibility thereafter. Oscar Piastri finished second, while Carlos Sainz secured an impressive third place for Williams.
Lando Norris had the opportunity to clinch the championship in Qatar, but he had a challenging race. After his last pit stop, he returned to the track in fifth place and had to overtake Antonelli and Sainz. Only in the final lap did he manage to outmaneuver Antonelli, after the young Italian made a mistake. As a result, Norris finished fourth. The championship will be decided in Abu Dhabi.
Oscar Piastri finished second, but felt that without McLaren’s tactical error under the safety car, he could have taken the victory. Max Verstappen took full advantage of the situation and drove to victory, thereby reducing his deficit in the championship and overtaking Piastri in the standings. Carlos Sainz took third place, giving Williams their second podium of the year. Kimi Antonelli eventually finished fifth, while teammate George Russell had a difficult start but still secured P6. Fernando Alonso finished seventh, despite a spin during the race. Charles Leclerc finished eighth in a challenging weekend for Ferrari. Liam Lawson came in ninth, and Yuki Tsunoda took the last point.
Driver Team Points
1 Lando Norris McLaren 408
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull 396
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren 392
4 George Russell Mercedes 309
5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 230
6 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 152
7 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 150
8 Alexander Albon Williams 73
9 Carlos Sainz Williams 64
10 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls 51
11 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber 49
12 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 48
13 Oliver Bearman Haas 41
14 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 38
15 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull 33
16 Esteban Ocon Haas 32
17 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 32
18 Pierre Gasly Alpine 22
19 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber 19
20 Franco Colapinto Alpine 0
21 Jack Doohan Alpine 0
