Nine teams brought both cars in on lap 7. At Ferrari, pressures and blocked developments were used as solutions, focusing on effects rather than the causes.
Max plays his card in Abu Dhabi
In the end, Verstappen and Red Bull managed to push the championship battle to the final race. This is already impressive, considering McLaren’s technical advantage demonstrated throughout the season and, for long stretches, even at Lusail. Once again, a “reworked” RB21 found the right pace and rhythm after the sprint kilometers, confirming the vital work carried out on track. The Milton Keynes car is extremely difficult to get into its optimal window, particularly regarding suspension mechanics. By nature, Verstappen’s car tends to understeer, and when engineers attempt to shift the balance forward—either to suit the four-time world champion’s driving style or to protect the front tires—problems arise that require multiple attempts to solve. The RB21 favors stiff setups but is also extremely sensitive; a small misstep can cause bouncing or disrupt balance. It seems this ultra-sensitive package cannot be fully simulated in the factory and requires Verstappen’s feel on track to fine-tune it, highlighting the constant difference between Max and his teammates. Verstappen’s win was not only due to pace but also clearly due to a brilliant strategic call. Hannah Schmitz expertly called the pit stop on lap 7, immediately after the Safety Car came out, giving Verstappen a huge advantage and allowing him to finish first with minimal issues.
McLaren’s error outweighs Red Bull’s masterpiece
It’s important to highlight a key point. Red Bull deserves full credit, as Max was the first of the McLaren chasers to pit, leading a train of 18 cars to the pit lane. But we cannot ignore that out of 10 teams, only one didn’t pit either car—McLaren. Esteban Ocon stopped on lap 2 of the Safety Car to ensure a pit, and no team differentiated strategies between drivers, even those at the back. The reality is simple: the Losail pit lane is very long, and a stop cost around 26 seconds. On a track all about performance, with mandatory stints of a maximum of 25 laps, that is enormous. No predictive model could have advised against pitting. All were prepared, as George Russell mentioned in post-race interviews, along with Schmitz herself. In every scenario, everyone expected a pit stop for both drivers if a Safety Car appeared after lap 7—everyone, except one team: Woking. A colossal error that, in context, appears even greater than Red Bull’s daring, which was bold but aligned with the rest of the grid. It seems McLaren adheres to the “Papaya Rules,” avoiding differentiation between drivers, but also suffers from a huge fear of mistakes at the pit wall, which in F1 inevitably generates numerous errors.
Red Bull updates show major progress
The MCL39 had strong pace, though Red Bull had closed the gap significantly. Piastri was undoubtedly the fastest on track and would have won easily if he had stayed ahead. The race also showed that when pushed to the theoretical limit, the RB21 wasn’t far off once properly set up, confirming the value of the upgrades introduced by the Milton Keynes team in the final stages of the season.
Sainz phenomenal, Antonelli runs out of tires at the end
Special mention goes to a phenomenal Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard overtook Antonelli by exploiting the Williams pit position during the chaos of lap 7 and contributed massively in a race focused entirely on performance, where pushing every lap was crucial. It marked Sainz’s second podium of the season with Williams, a result he can be very proud of. Antonelli also performed well, running ahead of Russell, though his final laps were completely on worn tires. He gave everything to hold off Norris, possibly aided by his friendship with Verstappen, but the lack of grip on the last laps allowed McLaren to capitalize, reflecting Mercedes’ tire struggles on a track that heavily stresses energy transfer to the tires.
Ferrari disaster expected: no solutions found, pressure not the answer
As for Ferrari, the pre-race warnings proved accurate. Losail pushes cars to their theoretical limits. Setup challenges centered on achieving mechanical balance at low ride heights while limiting bouncing, but beyond that, the real test is the car’s aero-mechanical efficiency, for which no shortcuts or tire management can compensate. Vasseur complained extensively about tire pressures, 6 psi above normal, reminiscent of Leclerc’s final stint in Hungary, where high pressures ruined his pace. However, pressures were the same for everyone, and Ferrari alone failed to find any setup solution all weekend, subjecting Leclerc and Hamilton to brutal sessions. The explanation is simple: the car’s limits emerged, the operating window was too narrow to adjust once pressures were changed, and the car’s aero performance was insufficient. Fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship was predictable based on post-summer break performance. The lack of further car development is framed as preparation for 2026, but much of the aero work wasn’t done due to waiting for the new rear suspension. Ferrari’s season speaks for itself, and in one of the team’s lowest years, Leclerc’s talent and tireless effort shone, squeezing every bit of performance from a car that had little to offer.
Abu Dhabi awaits for glory
All eyes now turn to Abu Dhabi for the final race. Norris starts as favorite, given his points lead and McLaren’s strength. Yet in a single-race championship decider, risks are immense. An incident between Lando and Verstappen at the start could pave the way for a Piastri championship, an unexpected scenario, alongside countless other potential issues. Predictions matter little here; it’s all about enjoying the spectacle.
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