The World Championship fight is still alive heading into the final race of the season.

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Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix (Image: Getty)

Max Verstappen seized an opportunity with both hands on Sunday, storming to victory at the Qatar Grand Prix after a strategy blunder from McLaren put Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris out of contention. The gap between the Dutchman and McLaren’s British star now stands at just 12 points with one race remaining.

Much was made of the Turn One battle before lights out, and Verstappen set the cat amongst the pigeons by overtaking Norris comfortably before the first corner, the McLaren man hamstrung by starting on the dirty side of the start-finish straight.

Strategy became the story of the day on lap seven when Pierre Gasly and Nico Hulkenberg tangled while battling over ninth place, bringing out the safety car. Verstappen and the rest of the field, aside from Esteban Ocon, took the opportunity to pit for fresh tyres, committing them to another stop on lap 32.

McLaren, meanwhile, left both drivers on the track, prioritising strategic flexibility over track position. As the race played out, this decision backfired, handing Verstappen control of the race. When Piastri made his final stop with just 15 laps remaining, he emerged 17 seconds behind the Red Bull racer.

Norris’ position was even more perilous. His eyes were greeted by the rear wings of Sainz and Kimi Antonelli when he left the pit lane in fifth place, putting the World Championship gap to Verstappen at just 10 points.

As the laps ticked by, Norris looked resigned to finish fifth, but a gift from Antonelli handed fourth place to the driver of the No.4 McLaren. The Mercedes rookie ran wide, losing a spot to his rival and giving Norris a 12-point advantage heading to Abu Dhabi.

F1 Grand Prix of Qatar
Lando Norris could only finish fourth in Lusail (Image: Getty)

Qatar Grand Prix results

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

3. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

4. Lando Norris (McLaren)

5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

6. George Russell (Mercedes)

7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

10. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)

11. Alex Albon (Williams)

12. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

13. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

14. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

15. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

16. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

DNF – Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

DNF – Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

DNF – Oliver Bearman (Haas)

DNF – Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)