The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
- F1
Follow F1 reaction after Max Verstappen sets up tense finale with Qatar win after McLaren make the wrong call
Kieran JacksonFormula 1 CorrespondentMonday 01 December 2025 09:34 GMTComments
CloseLando Norris fumes after McLaren strategy error in Qatar: 'We didn't make the right decision'
Join the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter and get behind-the-scenes access and unrivalled insight
Join the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter
Join the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter
Email*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice
Lando Norris has seen his lead in the F1 driver’s world championship cut to 12 points after Max Verstappen triumphed in a highly dramatic Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday night.
Norris and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri got their strategy wrong during a safety car period at the start of the race, when they failed to stop and change tyres in what was a mandatory two-stop grand prix.
READ: What does Lando Norris need to win F1 title in Abu Dhabi?
When Norris eventually went into the pits for a second time, the British driver came back on track in fifth place, though he managed to overtake Kimi Antonelli in the closing stages and finished in fourth. Piastri finished second and was fuming with the team’s strategy afterwards.
Norris was also unhappy with the decision, saying afterwards: “We were the ones who took the gamble today, and it was the wrong decision.” It means the title will be decided in Abu Dhabi with all three of Norris, Piastri and Verstappen in with a chance of claiming the crown. Norris’s lead is 12 points to Verstappen, with Piastri a further four points behind.
Follow live reaction from the Qatar Grand Prix with The Independent
Recommended
When can Lando Norris win the 2025 F1 world championship?
Lewis Hamilton gives telling analysis of Ferrari F1 car before qualifying disaster
F1 standings after Qatar GP as Max Verstappen closes gap on Lando Norris
F1 QATAR GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Max Verstappen wins the Qatar Grand Prix; Piastri 2nd; Sainz 3rd
- Lando Norris's title lead is trimmed to 12 points, with Verstappen now in second; Piastri is 16 points off Norris
- COMMENT: Max Verstappen is laughing at McLaren – how many more warnings do they need?
- Piastri and Norris fume at McLaren's strategy blunder
- The title will be decided in the season finale in Abu Dhabi on 7 December
COMMENT: Max Verstappen is laughing at McLaren – how many more warnings do they need?
By Kieran Jackson
For all the smugness radiating off the face of Max Verstappen and, by the same token, the fumes of red mist emitting from furious McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, perhaps the first words should go to the true winner of the Qatar Grand Prix: Red Bull’s cool-headed strategy chief Hannah Schmitz.
For it was Schmitz, the 40-year-old Cambridge-educated engineer, who made the critical call amid yellow flags and muddled thinking on Sunday night. On lap seven, a crash and a safety car created a door of opportunity. Red Bull, and every other team on the grid for that matter, walked straight through. McLaren, however, turned a blind eye.
Full piece below:
Max Verstappen is laughing at McLaren F1 – how many more warnings do they need?
Comment: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri missed out on victory in Qatar, with Verstappen’s unlikely win taking this unpredictable F1 title race to the season finale in Abu Dhabi. For McLaren, it should never have got this nervyKieran Jackson1 December 2025 09:28How can Norris win the F1 title?
Norris has a 12-point lead over Verstappen, who is now in second place. Piastri is a further four points back, 16 off his teammate.
It is a normal race weekend in Abu Dhabi. Therefore, Norris will win the world championship if he finishes on the podium at the Yas Marina Circuit.
A minimum third place (15 points) in Abu Dhabi would give Norris an unassailable 27-point lead.
Fourth place (12 points) would give Norris a 24-point lead and, thus, if Verstappen then won the race, the Dutchman would take the title by one point.
(Getty)Kieran Jackson1 December 2025 08:00Lewis Hamilton, who finished 12th:
On race: “I feel fine. Had a good first lap, made some places up, really unfortunate under the safety car, I enjoyed as much as I could.
On season drawing to a close: “Definitely has been the most challenging year, in and out of the car, I’ve got so many notes in terms of things we need to improve on and time will tell if we act upon those things.
“If we keep hold of the things that are good and change the things that are not, and there’s plenty of those, there’s no reason why we couldn’t fix those, if we put them into action, I’m hopeful for making progress.”
(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson1 December 2025 07:00George Russell, who finished P6:
“I lost several positions on the opening lap unfortunately and that compromised my race. The inside of the track, where I was starting from, is lower grip and that hurt me in the first few corners.
“I got caught out at turn two as I lost the rear and then I dropped another position at our first stop as we had to wait for the fast lane to clear. We battled back where we could, but we saw on Saturday just how difficult it is to overtake here.
“We had to be patient and, whilst P6 is not a result we came into the day hoping for, we've put a few more points on our tally in the battle for P2 in the Constructors' Championship. We are well positioned to claim that P2 next weekend in Abu Dhabi.
“It is only between us and Red Bull Racing now so hopefully we can get the job done. We won't just be looking to play it safe though. We want to end the season, and this era in our sport, on a high so we will be aiming to get ourselves on the podium.”
(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson1 December 2025 06:00Williams boss James Vowles on Sainz's podium:
“Exceptional. Really fantastic performance from Carlos and the team when it counted and every detail adds up. Getting on the podium by milliseconds really is such a just reward for the incredible work the whole team is putting in this year.
“I was proud of Carlos and the team when we got our first podium in Baku; the second is a dream come true, but perhaps more importantly at a track that was almost our worst last year. And we've come back, we've reinvented ourselves and the result is there for everyone to see.”
(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson1 December 2025 05:00Max Verstappen after winning the race:
Max Verstappen after winning the race:
“We made the right call to box under the safety car, that was smart. We stay in the fight until then, incredible.
“For us, it was a very strong race on a weekend which was a little bit tough.”
On McLaren not pitting; ”It’s an interesting move. Need to keep the tyres alive.”
Kieran Jackson1 December 2025 04:00Lewis Hamilton gives crushing six-word interview after latest Ferrari F1 nightmare
Lewis Hamilton could not hide his deflation after only qualifying 18th for the sprint race in Qatar on Friday night.
The 40-year-old British driver, who has endured a torrid debut campaign for Ferrari, qualified dead-last in 20th at the last race in Las Vegas for the first time, on pure pace, in his 19-year F1 career.
A week on, Hamilton fared no better and was knocked out in SQ1 on Friday night at the Lusail International Circuit as he once again struggled to get to grips with his capricious Ferrari car.
Full quotes below:
Lewis Hamilton gives crushing six-word interview after latest Ferrari F1 nightmare
The 40-year-old endured another difficult qualifying session for the sprint race in Qatar Kieran Jackson1 December 2025 03:00Fernando Alonso, who finished P7:
"Two points yesterday and six today exceeds our expectations for this weekend. After the early Safety Car, we committed to the two-stop strategy along with everyone else. We didn't have the pace to fight ahead tonight.
“We got a bit lucky with the DRS train of cars and with how difficult it is to overtake here. We also got a bit lucky with the spin mid-race, because on another circuit maybe I would have ended up in the gravel. The points are a welcome boost in the battle in the Constructors' Championship as we head into Abu Dhabi."
Kieran Jackson1 December 2025 02:00Charles Leclerc, who finished eighth:
On finding more performance: “No. I searched for it, I still did not find it, very frustrating but not one lap where I was fast. Again very frustrating.
Looking forward to the back of this car? “Yes for sure, but at the same time, looking forward to the last race and to finish on a higher note, depressing to go on holiday with a race like that.
“For sure, look at next year’s car and forget this year, which has been a very tough one.”
Kieran Jackson1 December 2025 01:00More from Max Verstappen:
On race: “I didn’t expect to win today, that’s for sure. We made the call, as did most of the grid, in boxing under the safety car, which gives you a free pit stop.
“I knew it’d be two long stints, but we managed that very well, they didn’t catch up too much, all under control. That call made me win the race today.”
On McLaren’s error: “Another one, yep!”
“I don’t think it was about playing too fair, it was just missing the pit stop opportunity.”
On taking inspiration from past title comebacks in Abu Dhabi: “Those are great stories, it doesn’t always go like that, we go in there with a positive mindset and we’ll do whatever we can.”
Max Verstappen (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Kieran Jackson30 November 2025 23:59Newer1 / 14OlderMore about
Max VerstappenLando NorrisOscar PiastriMcLarenQatar Grand PrixJoin our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
