Despite starting from P3, Max Verstappen managed to maximise every opportunity, claiming the win at the 2025 F1 Qatar GP. Bringing the title fight to the F1 Abu Dhabi finale, the Dutchman kept his momentum as he benefited from McLaren’s strategy errors. This moment marked his seventh win of the 2025 season, equalling the McLaren drivers.
For the first time since his comeback at the Dutch GP, Verstappen sits in second in the Drivers’ Championship. At only a 12-point gap to Norris, the Red Bull driver made the championship fight a three-way battle. The F1 Qatar GP victory just brought him closer to a real chance at winning his fifth title and keeping his reign.
The Lusail race from the #1 cockpit
Coming into the F1 Qatar GP, Max Verstappen seemingly had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The Dutchman reviewed his race, emphasising the importance of taking advantage of that perfectly placed Safety Car:
“Yeah, I mean, the start was decent. So I got one spot. And then from there, I was, of course, just looking after the tyres a bit. But then the safety car came out basically at the right lap. So we opted to box. And I guess a lot of people behind me had the same idea. So yeah, the team did a very good job there. Stayed out of trouble also with the pit lane. It was quite a busy pit lane.”
Taking care of his tyres, Verstappen went on to reap the rewards of that pit stop. While McLaren did advance in the early stages, the Red Bull driver knew he had to bide his time. Satisfied with his efforts, the 28-year-old was pleased his strategy stayed with him until the finish line:
“And from there onwards, I knew that we probably did the right thing. I think I also knew that the two McLarens needed a lot of pace to overcome basically that kind of pit stop. So I think when the Safety Car went away, of course, initially they pulled away quite a bit.
“But for me, it was just making sure that these two stint lengths were in the best possible pace from the first step until the end. And I think we managed that well. Just trying to do my own pace and look after the tyres. And it was enough until the flag.”
The deciding factor of the race
In the battle for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship, the lap 7 Safety Car pit stop during the F1 Qatar GP was what made the difference for Verstappen. Oscar Piastri’s performance during the other events of the Qatar race weekend had him down as the favourite for victory. However, while McLaren opted to leave its drivers on track, Red Bull called the Dutchman to box for a new set of mediums.
When questioned about the decisive pit stop in the post-race press conference, Verstappen confessed he exited that pit lane knowing he had the potential for a victory. While he was surprised by the decision, his team’s call turned out to be right in the end:
“Well, I mean, first of all, when they called me in, I had to look and remember that it was lap—like, we were going into lap seven. So I was like, ‘OK, now we can go to the end.’ So then, yeah, I was a bit surprised once I did the whole pit stop. Because I mean, when they call you in, you’re focused on the box and making sure you’re not in trouble with releasing and whatever.
“So when I came out of the pit, I was like ‘Okay, I think this is a very good opportunity now for us to win the race.'”
Furthermore, Max Verstappen admitted the possibility of staying out did not even reach his ears:
“I don’t know. I didn’t hear anything. So maybe they were talking in the pit wall. But to me, it was very clear. I just got the call to box.”
Improving and keeping up the momentum
The F1 Qatar GP results helped Max Verstappen climb to P2 in the standings, effectively leaving only a 12-point gap to the lead. According to the Red Bull driver, he never thought about losing the race, not even after the perfectly timed pit stop:
“I thought at that moment that there was a big chance of winning it. Yeah, I don’t think about losing. That’s not in my head. I think about how to win.”
The RB21 looked strong as Verstappen brought it to the top spot in the leaderboard. Yet, it still had the issues he faced throughout the previous sessions. The Red Bull driver praised his team, attributing the win to the great strategy:
“I mean, it was still the same as in qualifying. I’m struggling with the same things. But we won the race today by the strategy. And then, from there onwards, just trying to manage your issues in the best possible way, and I think we did that very well.”
Looking forward to next week for the Abu Dhabi finale, Max Verstappen highlighted the intricacies that come into play during a Grand Prix. Claiming that pure pace is not the only factor that wins a race, the Dutchman showcased the strategy’s potential, similar to the F1 Qatar GP:
“I have no idea. Again, I hope that we start the weekend well. Let’s say like that. That would help a lot. I think on pure pace, it will be tough. But a race like today also shows that it’s not always straightforward, a Grand Prix, and a lot of things can happen. So I’m probably relying a little bit on that.”
