Verstappen’s Qatar Victory Turns F1 Title Race into Three-Way Abu Dhabi Showdown

SwissReporting – Switzerland in English

Date: 30 November 2025

Max Verstappen has blown the 2025 Formula One world championship wide open with a decisive victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, transforming what looked like a controlled march to the title for Lando Norris into a tense three-way showdown at the final race in Abu Dhabi.

The Red Bull driver, who was more than 100 points behind the championship lead earlier in the season, now heads to Yas Marina just 12 points off Norris and four ahead of Oscar Piastri after delivering a tactically perfect race in Doha.

Safety car gamble swings momentum to Red Bull

The key moment came on lap seven, when a collision further down the field brought out the safety car. Almost the entire grid chose to dive into the pit lane for fresh tyres, taking advantage of the neutralised pace. Red Bull followed that logic and serviced Verstappen.

McLaren, leading with Oscar Piastri and running Lando Norris close behind, made the opposite call. They kept both cars on track, betting that track position was more valuable than tyre advantage. It was a bold decision, but one that quickly turned into a strategic trap.

When racing resumed at full speed, Verstappen sat behind the McLarens but enjoyed a tyre-life advantage. As the laps unfolded and rubber degradation increased, the McLaren pair were forced to defend, while Verstappen could manage his pace and plan his attacks. By the time the final pit stops shook out, the Dutchman had moved into control of the race, leaving Piastri to salvage second and Norris to fight for the remaining podium positions.

Podium surprise for Sainz as McLaren pay the price

Behind the leading trio, the big winner of McLaren’s miscalculation was Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard produced a confident drive for Williams, combining strong tyre management with mistake-free racecraft to claim an unexpected podium in third place.

Norris recovered to fourth after a late overtake on Kimi Antonelli, limiting the damage to his championship lead but still losing crucial points to Verstappen. The rest of the top 10 underlined how costly strategy can be in modern Formula One:

• 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)

Further back, Lewis Hamilton finished outside the points after a difficult weekend, while several midfield teams used alternative strategies simply to secure a place in the top 10. The race underlined how narrow the margins can be when one call under a safety car can decide not only the podium but an entire championship narrative.

Championship picture: advantage Norris, momentum Verstappen

With only Abu Dhabi remaining, the standings at the top look like this:

• 1. Lando Norris – 408 points
• 2. Max Verstappen – 396 points
• 3. Oscar Piastri – 392 points

Norris still holds the mathematical advantage. If the McLaren driver finishes first, second or third at Yas Marina, he will be world champion regardless of what his two rivals achieve. Anything less than a podium, however, opens the door for Verstappen and keeps Piastri in the conversation.

Verstappen’s recent form is formidable: podiums at every race since Zandvoort and five wins in that stretch. While Red Bull did not always have the fastest car over a single lap in Qatar, their race execution and tyre calls were flawless. Piastri, by contrast, leaves Qatar with mixed feelings – strong pace, but a lost victory because of the team’s decision to stay out during the safety car period.

What it means for fans and for Formula One

For Formula One, this result is a dream scenario. The sport heads into the season finale with three drivers from two teams still able to win the title, each representing a different storyline: Norris chasing his first crown, Verstappen attempting one of the great comebacks of the modern era, and Piastri emerging as a calm but aggressive contender in only his second full season.

For fans in Switzerland and across Europe, the Abu Dhabi weekend promises early alarms, late nights and high tension. The modern Yas Marina circuit, with its mix of long straights, tight chicanes and changing light conditions at dusk, is perfectly suited to strategic battles and safety-car twists – exactly the ingredients that turned Qatar into such a pivotal race.

Whatever happens next, the lesson from Doha is clear: in a championship decided by fine margins, one brave but misjudged strategy call can transform a comfortable lead into a high-pressure fight to the finish. Verstappen has kept his title hopes alive; now it is up to Norris and Piastri to respond when it matters most.