DOHA: Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday to set up a final race title showdown with McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.&nbsp;The Red Bull driver kept the wheels on his quest for a fifth successive crown after pole-sitter Piastri finished second and standings leader Norris came only fourth.&nbsp;Verstappen&#39;s remarkable late season surge has lifted him past Piastri and into second in the championship.&nbsp;The Dutchman now goes into the season-closer next weekend only 12 points behind Norris with Piastri 16 points behind his teammate.&nbsp;Verstappen has fond memories of the last time the title went down to the wire when he beat Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the last race in Abu Dhabi in 2021.&nbsp;This was a race McLaren should have won, with Piastri heading the grid and Norris alongside him on the front row, only to be overtaken by Verstappen at the start.&nbsp;Red Bull pitted Verstappen under a safety car, unlike McLaren who kept their two drivers out on the track.&nbsp;&quot;Clearly we did not get it right tonight,&quot; conceded Piastri.&nbsp;&quot;I drove as fast as I could but it wasn&#39;t to be. In hindsight it is pretty obvious what we should have done, but we&#39;ll discuss that as a team. (It&#39;s) a little bit tough to swallow at the moment,&quot; the Australian added.&nbsp;Verstappen said: &quot;An incredible race for us, we made the right call to box under that safety car. A strong race for us on a weekend that was tough.&quot;&nbsp;Carlos Sainz of Williams completed the podium under floodlights at the Lusail International Circuit in the Doha desert.

Racing

Max Verstappen won the Qatar GP, boosting his late-season comeback and setting up a final-race title fight with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. A strategic call under the safety car secured victory, while McLaren admitted tactical mistakes.

Verstappen wins Qatar GP to set up final race title showdown

<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;' id="isPasted">BAKU: Standings leader Oscar Piastri crashed on the first lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday to hand his McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris a chance to slash Piastri&#39;s lead in the Formula 1 title fight.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Piastri seemed to false-start and then nearly stall off the line, dropping to the back of the field before sliding into the barrier as he tried to recover places.&nbsp;<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>The Australian crashed for the second day in a row in Baku after also hitting the barrier in qualifying.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>The incident was a blow to McLaren&rsquo;s chances of sealing the constructors&rsquo; title.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Norris started seventh and his McLaren teammate Piastri ninth for Sunday&#39;s race after a chaotic qualifying session with plenty of crashes, rain, and red flags.&nbsp;<p style='box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; padding: 0.2rem 0px 0.8rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>Red Bull&#39;s Max Verstappen took pole position in Azerbaijan for the first time in his career.

Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix in Baku

Oscar Piastri crashes on lap one of the Azerbaijan GP, giving teammate Lando Norris a chance to close the gap in the F1 title race.

Articles tagged with "Oscar Piastri"

Verstappen wins Qatar GP to set up final race title showdown

McLaren's F1 leader Oscar Piastri crashes out of Azerbaijan GP