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The championship contender benefited from a strategy call from McLaren that flew in the face of decisions made by every other team during an initial safety car period

This proved to be a costly decision that sacrificed track position to Verstappen in the closing laps and in hindsight threw away the victory for Piastri

Grand Prix Outcome and Title Consequences

Verstappen triumphed to take his 7th win of the season, equalling the McLaren drivers, while the Australian was second and the British driver fourth behind the Williams of the Spanish driver

Norris won himself an extra two points by overtaking the Mercedes driver's Mercedes on the second-to-last lap

The championship leader has been left with a 12-point lead over Verstappen, who moved ahead of Piastri by four points heading to the final race on 5-7 December

To win the championship, Norris must secure a podium position at Yas Marina if Verstappen takes victory next Sunday

Critical Moments of the Thrilling Grand Prix

• The team's choice not to pit when a yellow flag was called on lap seven for a collision between the French team's Pierre Gasly and the Swiss team's Hulkenberg
• A strategy led by Piastri to advance his last pit stop in a last-ditch effort to challenge the leader proved unsuccessful
• A surprise second podium for the Williams driver gifted by the team's tactical decision

The Way The British Team Lost Out in Qatar

The fateful moment for the team was when the two drivers came together as the Hulkenberg tried to pass the Gasly around the outside of Turn One on lap seven

Hulkenberg's car was left damaged beside the circuit That brought out the yellow flag

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

With the tire manufacturer imposing a 25-lap safety limit on the tyres, that signified anyone who pitted at that moment was locked into a fixed plan with a additional pit stop on lap 32

Driver Responses and Post-Race Statements

Speechless

Piastri added in his post-race conversation: Clearly we didn't get it right tonight My driving was the best race I was capable of, as fast as I could, but there was no more pace out there Attempted my utmost but couldn't secure victory

The race winner stated: That represented an amazing performance for us We made the correct decision to pit That proved intelligent Furthermore super-happy to win here and stay in the fight to the end, remarkable

Final Grand Prix Standings

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

Looking Ahead

The crucial championship finale at the Yas Marina Circuit The circuit itself does not produce the most thrilling competition, but yet again this twilight race hosts an event which appears set to become every bit as thrilling as Vettel's maiden championship in 2010, or Verstappen's highly controversial initial championship in twenty-twenty-one