🔗 Share this article

Verstappen benefited from a tactical decision from McLaren that flew in the face of decisions made by all other squads during an early race safety car period

It was a costly decision that sacrificed track position to the Red Bull driver in the closing laps and retrospectively cost the victory for Piastri

Race Outcome and Title Implications

The race winner triumphed to take his 7th win of the campaign, equalling Norris and Piastri, while the Australian was second and the British driver in fourth behind the Williams car of Carlos Sainz

The McLaren driver won himself an extra two points by passing the Mercedes driver's Mercedes on the penultimate lap

The championship leader has been maintained a twelve point lead over Verstappen, who moved ahead of Piastri by four points heading to Abu Dhabi on 5-7 December

To secure the championship, Norris must finish at least third at Yas Marina if Verstappen wins the race next Sunday

Critical Moments of the Thrilling Race

• The team's choice not to stop when a yellow flag was deployed on the seventh lap for a collision between Alpine's Gasly and Sauber's Hulkenberg
• A decision initiated by Piastri to bring forward his final stop in a last-ditch effort to challenge the leader proved unsuccessful
• A unexpected second podium for the Williams driver handed by the team's tactical decision

The Way McLaren Lost Out in The Race

The critical point for McLaren was when Gasly and Hulkenberg came together as the German tried to overtake the Gasly around the outside of the first corner on lap seven

Hulkenberg's car was left damaged beside the circuit This triggered the yellow flag

The crucial part of the timing was that it meant there were 50 laps left in the race

With Pirelli enforcing a 25-lap safety limit on the tires, that signified anyone who pitted at that moment was committed to a rigid strategy with a second stop on the thirty-second lap

Driver Responses and After the Event Statements

No words

The McLaren driver commented in his after-race conversation: Obviously we didn't get it right tonight I drove the best race I could, as quick as I possible, but there was no more pace out there Attempted my best but didn't get it done

The race winner stated: That represented an incredible race for us Our team executed the right call to box It was smart And super-happy to win here and stay in the fight to the head, remarkable

Final Grand Prix Standings

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

Looking Ahead

The crucial championship finale at the Yas Marina The circuit itself does not produce the most thrilling racing, but yet again this twilight race features an event which promises to be every bit as dramatic as Sebastian Vettel's maiden championship in 2010, or the Dutch driver's much-debated initial championship in twenty-twenty-one