Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix, Piastri was second, Norris was fourth, the champion will be determined at the last stage

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri finished second, Carlos Sainz (Williams) third. Championship leader Lando Norris (McLaren) took fourth place.

The champion will be determined at the last stage, which will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 5–7. Norris has 408 points, his advantage has been reduced from 22 points to 12, the current champion Verstappen (396) is in second place, Piastri (392) is third in the individual standings.

Piastri, who started the race from pole position, retained the lead at the start, while Verstappen beat Norris for second place. After the seventh lap, the safety car appeared on the track due to the accident of Nico Hulkenberg (Kick-Sauber), and almost all the pilots immediately went to the first of two mandatory pit stops in this race. Of the leaders, only Piastri and Norris did not go to the pits – McLaren decided to extend the first segment for them as much as possible.

After the second pit stops, Piastri was second and lost about 17 seconds to Verstappen. By the finish, the Australian had reduced the gap by about half. Norris returned to the track only fifth and managed to win back only one position before the checkered flag, ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes). The Briton lost less than a second to Sainz, who managed to maintain third place.

Verstappen won the 70th victory in his career and beat Piastri in the individual championship. Norris will only need to finish third in the final stage to win the title, regardless of the results of both competitors.

“Formula 1”. Qatar Grand Prix

Race. Top 10

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

3. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

4. Lando Norris (McLaren)

5. Andrea 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)