Before the race, Verstappen had been clear: beating the McLarens required more than just speed—it needed a slice of fortune. And that is exactly what happened. McLaren’s decision not to pit in the early laps when the safety car was deployed for Nico Hülkenberg’s retirement turned out to be a rare stroke of luck, one of those moments that only happen occasionally in Formula 1.
It is not the first time McLaren has stumbled strategically under pressure. In this case, however, it was clear that some decisions had been planned well in advance. Choosing not to split the strategies of their two drivers, keeping them in total parity, ultimately opened the door for Max Verstappen.
Staying out would have covered the potential return of the safety car, but the chances of gaining an advantage from an early pit stop were far higher than those of stopping later in the race. This strategic option allowed Max Verstappen to gain 13 points on Lando Norris and move up to second in the standings. A decisive tactical move that completely altered the course of the race.
“Yes, 100%, that pit stop won us the race and made McLaren lose it. I’m very happy about this because honestly, when I woke up this morning, I didn’t expect to win the race,” Max said after crossing the finish line.
“I was thinking more about how competitive we would be during the race, or if we wouldn’t be. But as a team, we made the right call and everything was managed very well. Thanks to that decision, we won the race and reduced the championship gap.”
Of course, the 12-point deficit to Norris is still too large to overcome in a single Grand Prix. But Qatar demonstrated that anything can happen, and even the most difficult situations can suddenly turn around. During the race, the car’s limitations remained similar to those seen in qualifying, though less pronounced.
“It shows that everything is possible, even when you think it will be a boring race. The safety car added some spice to everything. I hope it happens the same in Abu Dhabi, but you never know. We’ll go to Abu Dhabi with a positive mindset and try everything, for sure. We have nothing to lose.” – the Dutch driver concluded at the end of the 2025 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix.
“I’ll go there and try to make the most of the car, and I hope I can be a bit more competitive than we were here. That would help overall, but we’ll see.” The long corners of Qatar had challenged a car that never reached its ideal performance window, leaving Max reliant on a bit of luck to turn the situation around.
On the other hand, that 26-second lead, built with a careful pace to minimize risk, never entirely disappeared. In fact, Max Verstappen could manage both rhythm and tires relatively calmly, especially since at one point the McLarens had to push so hard that their lap times flattened, keeping the gaps smaller.
Max Verstappen seized the opportunity and turned it into a significant championship gain, while McLaren saw a seemingly achievable chance slip away. Now, all eyes move to Abu Dhabi, the final stage of a battle that reminds everyone in Formula 1 that nothing is ever certain.
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