formula 1
World Cup dream is alive: Verstappen dupes McLaren in Qatar
Updated 11/30/2025 – 6:36 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
At the Qatar Grand Prix, McLaren gambled away with its strategy. Max Verstappen benefits and continues to hope for the world title.
Max Verstappen achieved an important victory in the World Championship battle at the Qatar Grand Prix. In the desert state, the Dutchman benefited from the fact that his McLaren competitors did not use a safety car phase to make a pit stop. Verstappen was able to win the race, Piastri only came second, and World Championship leader Norris only fourth. Carlos Sainz surprisingly completed the podium in third place in his Williams.
Before the final race in Abu Dhabi next weekend, Verstappen is now only twelve points behind Norris. Piastri is four more points behind. So everything is still possible in the World Cup.
Right at the start, Max Verstappen was able to push past second-placed Norris from his third starting position. Piastri maintained the lead. It appeared to be a rather uneventful race on the circuit where overtaking is considered difficult.
But then there was a crash. And Nico Hülkenberg, of all people, was hit in his 250th Grand Prix. During an overtaking attempt, his Sauber touched Pierre Gasly’s Alpine and slid into the gravel trap – the safety car had to come out.
Everyone came in to change tires because it saves time at a time like this. Just not the two McLarens. Astonished, Norris immediately asked the box. Piastri mastered the restart quite confidently, Norris was able to defend second place. Verstappen remained third and now had the best chance of victory.
Piastri and Norris now pushed up the pace a lot and had to gain time because they both had to change tires twice more. For safety reasons, the use of the tires was limited to 25 laps; 57 had to be completed. After 24 laps, McLaren called Piastri into the pits and Norris drove one more.
The two stable rivals then ranked fourth (Piastri) and fifth (Norris). The new leader was Verstappen, who had already won in Las Vegas a week ago and, thanks to the disqualification of both McLarens due to a technical violation of the rules, had further reduced the gap in the rankings.