There is never a shortage of storylines in the relentless world of Formula 1, and the Qatar Grand Prix added another dramatic twist to the 2025 title race.
As dawn broke over the desert, it looked almost certain that Max Verstappen’s championship defence would be effectively over by nightfall. Oscar Piastri had been untouchable in every meaningful session, with the Dutchman trailing both the Australian and Lando Norris by a clear margin.
McLaren had already thrown away a dream weekend in Las Vegas with a double disqualification, but it felt unthinkable that they would sabotage themselves again. Yet that is precisely what happened.
McLaren’s ‘fair play’ approach backfires badly
In Las Vegas, the argument was clear: McLaren needed to stop treating both drivers equally and fully commit to backing Lando Norris to secure their first driver’s title since 2008. Arriving in Qatar, they again refused to do so and paid a huge price.
When the Safety Car was deployed seven laps into the race, McLaren were presented with a perfect strategic opening. One option was to pit Norris while leaving Piastri out, putting the Briton in a strong position to jump Verstappen and wrap up the title with a controlled drive to the finish. They did not take it.
Alternatively, they could have pitted Piastri to secure the race win for him, ensuring both McLaren drivers carried a healthy points buffer over Verstappen into the Abu Dhabi finale. Again, they chose not to.
Instead, they left both cars on track and effectively handed the initiative, and the victory to Verstappen as rivals took what was essentially a free stop. After the race, McLaren suggested they did not expect so many others to pit under the Safety Car, but it is difficult to ignore the deeper truth: they were afraid of openly sacrificing one of their own drivers.
Pitting only one car would have heavily penalised the other. Pitting both would have placed Norris at a disadvantage, as he would have been delayed in the pit lane behind Piastri. The only way to treat both drivers identically was to compromise both equally, so that is what they did.
It is a philosophy that may have looked admirable when the title fight was an internal McLaren affair, but once Verstappen and Red Bull re-entered the frame, it became reckless.
Instead of travelling to the final round with one delighted champion and one furious teammate, McLaren head to Abu Dhabi with two frustrated drivers and a championship still very much at risk.
Verstappen chasing another Abu Dhabi miracle
For the first time since 2021, the title will be decided at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, inevitably stirring memories of Verstappen’s controversial last lap triumph over Lewis Hamilton.
This time, though, the challenge facing the Dutchman is significantly tougher.
In 2021, he arrived at Yas Marina level on points, with Sergio Perez able to play a clear support role and with a race director who was ultimately willing to bend normal procedures in the name of spectacle. None of those conditions exists now.
Verstappen goes into the final race 12 points behind the championship leader and only four ahead of the other McLaren, sandwiched between two rivals. He no longer has a teammate capable of influencing the strategic picture at the front, and, since the fallout of 2021, Formula 1 has restructured race control to limit the kind of rule-bending that decided that title fight.
Yet in some respects, his opposition is less daunting. Back then, he was up against Hamilton, one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport, and a Mercedes team in the midst of an era of dominance. Now his adversaries are two young drivers and a team that have already shown signs of cracking under pressure.
McLaren has built the fastest package over the season but has repeatedly made strategic errors at crucial moments. Both Norris and Piastri have also had flashes of fragility when the stakes rise.
That combination sets the stage for a fascinating climax. Either Formula 1 crowns a new world champion in Abu Dhabi, or Verstappen completes one of the most remarkable comeback stories the series has ever seen.
One thing is certain: the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is set to go down in history.
