After disappointment in Qatar, Lando Norris’ bid to become world champion will be decided in a decisive final showdown.
Norris, who only finished fourth after starting second, will go to the finale with a 12-point lead on Verstappen and a 16-point advantage over Piastri.
Max Verstappen’s clean race and strong team strategy from RedBull, allowed him to beat pole-sitter Oscar Piastri, overtaking him both in the race and in the Drivers’ Standings.
McLaren’s trouble began when Norris slipped from second to third behind Verstappen at the start of the race.
Piastri still held his pole position until lap seven, when a safety car was deployed due to a collision between Pierre Gasly and Nico Hulkenberg. Both McLaren drivers were instructed not to pit. This decision ultimately cost both McLaren drivers key points in the close championship race.
When asked for comment, a member of McLaren’s marketing team said they could only reiterate Team Principal Andrea Stella’s official statement: “Today’s race result is a huge disappointment; there’s no point hiding it. We had the potential to win and to have both drivers on the podium, but we made an error of judgment during the Safety Car period and paid dearly for it.”
The last time three drivers were in contention for the championship was in 2007, when Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso also fought closely for the title. Only a single point decided the outcome, with Raikkonen ultimately clinching the championship.
With one race remaining, the fight for the championship carries on to Abu Dhabi, with the top three only having a handful of points between each other.