One week after losing all its drivers’ points from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the McLaren team threw away a bunch more in an increasingly tense Formula 1 championship battle by botching a strategy call at Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix, the penultimate event on the 24-race schedule for the international open-wheel circuit’s 2025 season.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took full advantage of the unexpected gift to clinch a seventh win this season — his 70th overall — as he closed the gap on standings leader Lando Norris from 24 points at the start of the weekend to 12 heading into next Sunday’s title decider in Abu Dhabi.
McLaren still has two drivers in contention, with Oscar Piastri four points behind Verstappen in third, but must stop the slide.
Last weekend in Las Vegas, the two drivers lost a combined 30 points after both were disqualified following the race, won by Verstappen.
At the Qatar GP, Norris would have clinched his first F1 title with a win but finished fourth, with placing second after starting in pole position and feeling confident after Saturday’s qualifying session.