Max Verstappen has brought the title fight to a boil with victory under the Lusail floodlights, slicing Lando Norris’ championship lead to just 12 points and guaranteeing a showdown in Abu Dhabi. Oscar Piastri pushed him hardest and deserved his runner-up finish, while Norris could manage no better than fourth after strategy misfortune and a slightly scruffy race on Sunday, November 30.
The race fractured early when a clash between Nico Hülkenberg and Pierre Gasly triggered a Safety Car just as strategy options were opening up. With an FIA-mandated limit on tyre mileage, Verstappen pitted while both McLarens gambled on track position — a decision that later came back to haunt them. When the final stops shook out, Verstappen held the net lead, Piastri slotted in behind, and Norris found himself pinned in traffic with work to do and time slipping away.
The Australian kept the pressure on, rejoining cleanly and hunting in clear air, while Norris battled Sainz and young Mercedes star Antonelli for space that simply wasn’t there. Norris eventually found a way past Antonelli — but only after the Mercedes driver ran wide late in the race. It was too late to reel in Verstappen or Piastri, leaving the pair ahead on the podium with Carlos Sainz taking third after a well-judged Williams drive.
Further back, Leclerc’s afternoon was more graft than glamour, but grit counts too. After slipping behind early duels and surviving the chaos around him, he steadied himself, managed the tyres and picked his moments, eventually crossing the line inside the points paying positions. Ferrari needed something consistent — he delivered exactly that. No fireworks, but no mistakes either. On a day where plenty tripped over strategy, Leclerc walked away with what others threw away.
Fernando Alonso recovered from a full 360-degree spin with the sort of disbelief-inducing save only Alonso could pull off, coming home ahead of Leclerc but behind George Russell, Antonelli and Sainz. Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda locked in the final points as Racing Bulls capitalised on Hadjar’s late puncture. Mercedes improved their Constructors’ position, Williams celebrated a podium, and Red Bull left smiling — albeit slightly tensely — with the title fight narrowed to striking range.
When the chequered flag fell, Verstappen’s seventh win of the season arrived by eight seconds. That matters. But so does the scoreboard: Norris 12 ahead, Piastri just four behind Verstappen, and one race left with everything on the line.
