17:46
But that is it from us for tonight... let's reconvene in little more than a week's time, when we should know at last who will be the 2025 F1 World Champion
Until then, ciao for now
Qatar GP Start
2025 F1 Qatar GP Race - As it happened: Verstappen snatches victory from under McLaren's nose
Full live text commentary as it happened for the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit, Round 23 of the 2025 F1 World Championship
Max Verstappen makes the most of a savvy strategy choice to get the better of both McLarens and win the Qatar GP. Lando Norris finishes fourth to take a 12 point lead over Verstappen into the Abu Dhabi finale
30 Nov 2025
17:45
So here are the points' standings between the top three heading into the Abu Dhabi GP title showdown
1- Norris - 408 points
2- Verstappen - 396 points
3- Piastri - 392 points
All the play for at the final event of the year, it's going to be a showstopper!
Only one week to wait as well
17:43
2025 Qatar GP Race Results
| 2025 F1 Qatar Grand Prix - Race Results | ||||
| Pos | Driver | Nat. | Team | Laps |
| 1 | Max Verstappen | NED | Oracle Red Bull Racing | 57 laps |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | AUS | McLaren F1 Team | +7.995s |
| 3 | Carlos Sainz | ESP | Atlassian Williams Racing | +22.665s |
| 4 | Lando Norris | GBR | McLaren F1 Team | +23.315s |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | ITA | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team | +28.317s |
| 6 | George Russell | GBR | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team | +48.599s |
| 7 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team | +54.045s |
| 8 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Scuderia Ferrari HP | +56.785s |
| 9 | Liam Lawson | NZL | Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team | +60.073s |
| 10 | Yuki Tsunoda | JPN | Oracle Red Bull Racing | +61.770s |
| 11 | Alex Albon | THA | Atlassian Williams Racing | +66.931s |
| 12 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Scuderia Ferrari HP | +77.730s |
| 13 | Gabriel Bortoleto | BRA | Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber | +84.812a |
| 14 | Franco Colapinto | ARG | BWT Alpine F1 Team | +1 lap |
| 15 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | MoneyGram Haas F1 Team | +1 lap |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | BWT Alpine F1 Team | +1 lap |
| DNF | Lance Stroll | CAN | Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team | 56 laps |
| DNF | Isack Hadjar | FRA | Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team | 56 laps |
| DNF | Oliver Bearman | GBR | MoneyGram Haas F1 Team | 43 laps |
| DNF | Nico Hulkenberg | GER | Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber | 7 laps |
17:43
Sainz: "Super quick, quicker than expected"
"I am so happy, so proud of the whole team. We came into this weekend thinking it would be the most difficult weekend of the year, but suddenly we came out with a podium. We nailed the race pace, I was super quick, quicker than expected. We nailed the strategy, we nailed the tyre management, nailed the start, nailed the defending and it brought us an unexpected podium.
"We got everything right today, we had a tough first half of the season but we have improved in so many areas. There were few opportunities to grab but we grabbed all of them by executing a perfect race. I am honestly over the moon with this podium because I absolutely didn't expect it."
17:40
Piastri: "We didn't get it right tonight..."
"Clearly, we didn't get it right tonight... I drove the best I could, as fast as I could, there was nothing left out there. I tried my best but it wasn't to be tonight.
"I think in hindsight it is obvious what we would have done, but we will discuss it as a team.
"It is not all bad, it has been a really good weekend and the pace has been strong, but this is tough to swallow at the moment"
17:37
Verstappen: "An interesting move by McLaren..."
"This was an incredible race for us, we made the right call to box under the safety car, that was smart. I am super happy to win here and to stay in the fight to the end.
"For us, it was a very strong race on a weekend when it was a bit tough, we won the race , that was the most important thing.
On McLaren strategic call - "I thought it was an interesting move..."
17:35
A word of praise to Carlos Sainz as he delivers a second podium of the season for himself and the Williams team
Achieved on pure pace alone, albeit assisted by a fast start that lifted him two spots, he also overtook Antonelli through the pit-stops before keeping the Italian at bay for the remainder of the race..
A very well deserved result
17:33
Provisional Result
1- Verstappen
2- Piastri
3- Sainz
4- Norris
5- Antonelli
6- Russell
7- Alonso
8- Leclerc
9- Lawson
10- Tsunoda
17:33
As for Norris, a frustrating evening - he lost second to Verstappen early on and was on the losing end of McLaren's tactical decision.
However, that pass on Antonelli on the penultimate lap when the Italian went wide could well prove the critical moment in the entire championship.
It means he holds a lead of 12 points going into the final round in Abu Dhabi over Verstappen, while Piastri is 16 points adrift.
It means Norris can afford to finish third behind both drivers at the final round and clinch the title.
Had he finished fifth behind Antonelli, then finished third to a winning Verstappen, the Dutchman would win on victory count backs
17:31
Huge disappointment for Piastri, he was undone by an evolving strategy early on
But brilliant drive by Verstappen on a weekend where it looked the Red Bull would struggle - however, give the Dutchman a specific tactical task and he is at his best
17:30
A quite extraordinary result for Verstappen and full marks to Red Bull's pit wall for making the quick decision to pit the Dutchman from second early on in the race under the safety car
McLaren played it safe and stayed out but it proved to be the wrong move and Piastri - despite having the evident quickest car underneath him - couldn't make up the ground to the Dutchman in the end
17:29
FLAG - Max Verstappen wins the Qatar GP
Max Verstappen takes his seventh victory of the season, leading Piastri across the line
Sainz takes a magnificent podium for Williams, with Norris in fourth place
17:28
FINAL LAP
Into the final moments and Max Verstappen is romping towards his seventh victory of the season, with Piastri having been unable to make a dent into his lead after pitting. They are split by 10secs.
17:27
Lap 56/57
Antonelli runs wide at Turn 10 and that has opened the door for Lando Norris to move up into fourth place!
A hugely valuable couple of extra points for Norris
17:27
Lap 56/57
Russell rises to sixth place, followed by Alonso, Leclerc, Lawson and Tsunoda as the remaining point scorers at this moment
17:26
Lap 55/57
Isack Hadjar slows with a puncture - that is a concern for all the drivers.
But a big blow for the Frenchman, he was heading for a second top six finish in a row
17:23
Lap 53/57
Antonelli - with Norris on his tail - is closing the gap on Sainz ahead as the Williams driver complains he has understeer in the fast corners
17:21
Lap 52/57
Norris needs to pass Antonelli. It would gain him an extra two points, which would allow him a 12 point lead over Verstappen overall going to Abu Dhabi
And that means a third place would be enough to win the title even if Verstappen wins the final round
17:18
Lap 50/57
Norris closes, closes on Antonelli but he isn't near enough to attempt a lunge at P4
Even if he does get past the Mercedes, there is more than three seconds to Sainz - having a brilliant race - in third
17:17
Lap 49/57
1- Verstappen
2- Piastri
3- Sainz
4- Antonelli
5- Norris
6- Hadjar
7- Russell
8- Alonso
9- Leclerc
10- Stroll (penalty to serve)
17:15
Lap 48/57
Piastri is lapping faster than Verstappen, but it's not enough right now - the gap is 14 seconds
As for Norris, he is getting up to speed and is beginning to reel Antonelli in - he is two seconds behind
17:14
Lap 467/57
A quick bit of maths if the order stays like this - Verstappen wins, Piastri second, Norris fifth - would see Norris take a slim 10 point lead over Verstappen into the final round, with Piastri four points further back
17:12
Lap 46/57
Fernando Alonso has had a spin out out of sixth place at Turn 10, but collects it back to continue
He has lost two positions, lifting Hadjar to sixth and Russell to seventh
17:11
Lap 45/57
Norris pits from the lead to release Verstappen into first place
It'll be a race to get Norris out in front of Sainz and Antonelli... and he can't do it, he has some work to do now, he's down to fifth
17:10
L:ap 44/57
Bearman becomes the second DNF as he pits to retire
