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Verstappen capitalized on a tactical decision from McLaren that flew in the face of decisions made by every other team during an early race safety car deployment

It was a costly decision that gave up track position to Verstappen in the closing laps and in hindsight threw away the victory for Piastri

Race Outcome and Championship Implications

The race winner won to take his 7th win of the campaign, equalling the McLaren drivers, while the Piastri was second and the Briton in fourth behind the Williams car of the Spanish driver

The McLaren driver won himself an extra two points by overtaking the Mercedes driver's Silver Arrow on the second-to-last lap

Norris has been maintained a 12-point lead over Verstappen, who overtook Piastri by four points heading to Abu Dhabi on 5-7 December

To win the championship, the British driver must finish at least third at Abu Dhabi if his rival takes victory next race day

Key Events of the Thrilling Grand Prix

• McLaren's choice not to stop when a yellow flag was called on the seventh lap for a collision between Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Sauber's Hulkenberg
• A decision led by the Australian to advance his final stop in a desperate attempt to challenge the leader proved unsuccessful
• A unexpected podium finish for Sainz gifted by McLaren's strategy call

The Way The British Team Missed Out in Qatar

The critical point for the team was when the two drivers collided as the Hulkenberg tried to pass the Frenchman around the outside of Turn One on the seventh lap

The German's car was left damaged beside the track That brought out the yellow flag

The critical part of the timing was that it meant there were 50 laps remaining in the grand prix

With Pirelli imposing a 25-lap safety limit on the tires, that signified anyone who made a stop at that time was committed to a rigid strategy with a additional pit stop on lap 32

Competitor Reactions and Post-Race Statements

No words

The McLaren driver added in his post-race conversation: Clearly we made mistakes tonight I drove the best race I could, as quick as I could, but there was no more pace out there Attempted my utmost but didn't get it done

The race winner stated: That represented an amazing performance for us Our team executed the correct decision to pit It was smart Furthermore extremely pleased to win here and remain competitive to the end, incredible

Ultimate Grand Prix Positions

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

Looking Ahead

The crucial title decider at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit The circuit itself does not create the most thrilling racing, but yet again this evening event features an event which promises to be every bit as dramatic as Sebastian Vettel's first title in twenty-ten, or the Dutch driver's highly controversial initial championship in 2021