Red Bull’s strategy genius: How Hannah Schmitz handed Max Verstappen the crucial Lusail victory. Hannah Schmitz played a decisive role in Max Verstappen’s victory at the Qatar GP.

F1 | Hannah Schmitz outsmarted McLaren in Qatar with a decisive strategy for Verstappen

Behind Max Verstappen’s victory in Qatar stands the work of Hannah Schmitz: the details of that crucial pit wall call that completely changed the outcome of the race. Hannah Schmitz delivered once again, as Red Bull’s principal strategy engineer became the key figure who secured Verstappen’s win at the Qatar Grand Prix. Thanks to this dominant performance, the four-time world champion is now just one step away from securing his fifth title in Abu Dhabi.

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The strategic approach at the Qatar GP was absolutely decisive for Red Bull’s number one driver; a plan studied long before the race and then executed at exactly the right moment. Speaking to ViaPlay, Hannah Schmitz revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the crucial decision that allowed Max Verstappen to climb to the top step of the podium.

“Before the race, that was exactly where the windows for the safety car and the virtual safety car were opening; that was the plan. We could stop both cars if the safety car came out on lap 7,” she explained.

“There is such an advantage in pitting under a safety car when you know you have to do two stops that, for us, it was clearly the right thing to do. I imagine many others in the pit lane were thinking the same way.”

Then came the first sign of trouble: “Obviously on that lap we heard that McLaren was staying out. Everyone was asking, ‘Are you sure? Are we sure we want to pit?’” In that moment, the strategist had no hesitation. “Yes, I’m convinced.”

All the other cars were diving into the pits, and Hannah Schmitz immediately felt the call was correct. “Then, as soon as I saw the others coming into the pit lane, I thought it was the right choice. Even though it meant having zero flexibility for the second pit stop, at least we had the advantage of the time gained.”

Red Bull rightly invited their star strategist up onto the podium alongside Max Verstappen, where the pair jointly lifted the winner’s trophy – a fitting reward for the woman whose calm head under pressure delivered one of the most important victories of the season.