At a glance
The penultimate race of 2025 brought an unexpected twist in the title race. The result is now a three-way battle in Abu Dhabi. The Qatar Grand Prix saw little spectacle on the track. Strategic errors and bad luck determined the outcome.
A safe choice for almost everyone
Teams anticipated precisely what would occur. Pirelli imposed tyre stints of up to 25 laps in a 57-lap race. As a result, all simulations focused on a potential safety car early in the race. A pit stop on lap seven would require almost everyone to drive two 25-lap stints to the finish. And that is precisely what happened.
Almost every other team had already planned that pit stop as standard. Only McLaren decided otherwise. That difference made the podium varied and disrupted the McLaren drivers in particular.
Piastri back in his element
Oscar Piastri was suddenly fast again at Lusail. The circuit suits his driving style better than, for example, Las Vegas or Brazil. That explains his resurgence more than conspiracy theories about team orders. McLaren and Piastri had been saying for weeks that a sudden recovery was possible. Qatar confirmed that.
Unfortunately for Piastri, the strategic choice cost him a deserved victory. Not only did he lose the win, but also extra points towards the championship.
Norris was doomed by the safety car
Lando Norris was in a difficult position. Whether McLaren brought both cars in or kept them out, he was losing ground. With most teams taking the cheap pit stop and then driving two 25-lap stints, there was little for Norris to gain. He ultimately lost positions, partly due to the situation and not because of his own mistakes.
Lusail remains poor for following and overtaking
Lusail once again proved difficult for real duels. The fast corners at the back are difficult to follow. The DRS zone on the straight was too short to activate for effective overtaking manoeuvres. In addition, the extended pit lane slowed down tyre changes. And the mandatory 25-lap stints forced almost everyone into the same rhythm. Together, this led to little action on the track.
A simple modification, such as narrowing the first bend to a hairpin, would create a genuine braking zone and could facilitate overtaking.
Ferrari struggles with development and tyres
Ferrari had perhaps its worst weekend of the season in Qatar. The car was not competitive, and according to both drivers, it was impossible to drive a single fast lap. The team stopped upgrading the 2025 car in April. While competitors continued to develop, Ferrari fell behind.
In addition, the high tyre pressures that were mandatory in Qatar seem to have further hampered the SF-25. The Ferrari is sensitive to deviations in ride height and has a narrow operating range. Outside that range, performance drops significantly.
Alpine drops to the bottom
Alpine finished last in the Constructors' Championship. With 22 points, it is 46 points behind Sauber. For the first time in history, the team finished at the bottom of the standings since Renault's identity was never so low. It is a disappointing end to a poor season.
Williams’ choice pays off
Williams stopped developing the FW47 in April and focused on 2026. That decision paid off. Carlos Sainz achieved another podium finish, this time in Qatar. His result was partly due to smart pit stops during the safety car and partly due to good preparation for similar track layouts.
This weekend, Williams also officially secured fifth place in the Constructors' Championship. That is a boost for the future.
Racing Bulls experiences déjà vu with front wing failure
Isack Hadjar lost sixth place due to a sudden front wing failure. The team initially thought the part would hold, but a few laps later the deflector failed. Four years ago, something similar happened on the same track during the AlphaTauri period. The cause appears to be heavy stress from high kerbs at high speed.
Hadjar's retirement cost the team points, but it still gained points thanks to the retirement of competitors and clever driving performances.
Haas fails again in execution
Haas once again dropped points due to mistakes during the race. Ollie Bearman left the pits before the left rear wheel was secured, costing him a finish in the points. Esteban Ocon received a penalty for a jump start. While serving that penalty, a mechanic touched the car too early, forcing him to serve the penalty again. Ocon finished outside the points.
These execution errors caused Haas to lose ground in the battle for sixth place in the constructors' championship. It is now under pressure from Sauber.
Key lessons from Qatar
- A safety car early in the race can change everything. Teams prepare for this.
- Strategic choices sometimes determine more than speed or driving ability.
- Some jobs require structural changes in order to truly catch up.
Preview of Abu Dhabi
The title race is now wide open and exciting. Max Verstappen has moved ahead of Piastri in the standings. Abu Dhabi will be decisive. Teams now have one last chance to fine-tune their cars and strategies. The race there will be decisive.
EN 
NL 
DE