Lando Norris goes into this race in Qatar knowing he could come out of his car as a Formula 1 world champion. He’d be stealing the title back from Max Verstappen.
Starting second on the grid at the Lusail International Circuit, behind his teammate, he simply needs to win this race to win the 2025 title.
It’s all to race for. Let’s see how this pans out.
Following yesterday’s qualifying session, below is our starting grid for the race ahead:
1: Oscar Piastri
2: Lando Norris
3: Max Verstappen
4: George Russell
5: Kimi Antonelli
6: Isack Hadjar
7: Carlos Sainz
8: Fernando Alonso
9: Pierre Gasly
10: Charles Leclerc
Behind the top 10, we have:
11: Nico Hulkenberg
12: Liam Lawson
13: Ollie Bearman
14: Alex Albon
15: Yuki Tsunoda
16: Esteban Ocon
17: Lewis Hamilton
18: Lance Stroll
19: Gabriel Bortoleto (5 place grid penalty)
20: Franco Colapinto (pit lane start)
The entire grid is starting this race on brand new tyres.
The medium compound is the starting tyre for the majority. Due to the gravel at this race, each car has to change their tyres, at maximum, every 25 laps.
Those starting on the mediums can likely go all the way to lap 25 on their tyres. Those on the softs might have a little less grip, and need to make a stop earlier.
Verstappen is currently 25 championship points behind Norris. But Norris is champion if he wins tonight.
Race start at the Qatar GP
Aaaaaannd! It’s lights out and away we go.
Piastri has a fantastic getaway and leads the pack.
We’re straight into turn one at the Qatar GP, and Verstappen gets right past Norris and up into P2, breaking up the McLarens, and importantly, getting ahead of the championship leader. He swept around the outside.
At Mercedes, Russell has a bad getaway and falls back into P7 after a messy turn 2, whilst Antonelli races up past him and into P4.
Lap 2 and Piastri is already building a gap between himself and Verstappen, whilst Norris is around a second behind the Red Bull driver. No DRS for any of these drivers.
Hamilton is impressively moving through the pack on his soft compound tyres, now in P14 from his P17 start.
Another lap behind us and again, Piastri is building the gap, now around 2 seconds ahead of Verstappen and nearly 4 seconds ahead of his teammate.
It’s only lap 4 and Tsunoda has already received a track limits warning. Many more laps to go, the Red Bull driver needs to be careful for the race ahead.
Verstappen takes to the radio to note that he’s unhappy with the balance of the car, a story we’ve heard all weekend.
Safety car is out on lap 7
Lap 7/57 and a safety car is out! Hulkenberg has made contact with Gasly at turn 2 and is stranded on the run-off area.
Gasly’s car has damage but he manages to bring it back to the pits.
Verstappen comes into the pits whilst both of the McLaren drivers stay out. The majority of the grid follow suit and use the safety car to make a quicker 16 second stop, rather than the usual 26 second stop.
Even Norris takes to the radio to ask his team why they didn’t bring him in for a pit stop.
It seems McLaren may have made a major mistake here for both drivers, particularly in the midst of this championship fight – they’re the only cars not to use the safety car for a quicker stop.
Lap 10 and we’re still under the safety car. Verstappen has moved up into P3 as Ocon has finally pitted.
Ocon received a 5 second time penalty for a potential false start but served this under his stop.
Lap 11 and we’re back to racing. Piastri makes a quick restart, catching his teammate a little off guard.
The McLaren’s are pulling away from the rest of the pack, leading Verstappen, Sainz, Antonelli, Alonso, Hadjar, Russell, Leclerc, and Bearman.
But it won’t be enough. The pair would need to make up 25 seconds to stay ahead of Verstappen when they come in to pit.
Around 40 laps to go and Piastri is well over 3 seconds ahead of his teammate. But Verstappen is beginning to match their pace.
The McLaren’s will need to pit soon, the pair need to make a stop on or before lap 25.
Albon gets a third warning for track limits. One more breach and he will be given a five second time penalty.
In 13th currently, this isn’t something that the Williams driver can afford.
McLaren’s finally come in to pit
Lap 25 and Piastri pits. Norris comes in shortly behind him. Piastri is now P4 and Norris P5, just ahead of Alonso.
Stroll receives a 5-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane. He’s currently in P19 and will need to serve this penalty at his next stop.
Lap 30 and our top 10 are: Verstappen, Sainz, Antonelli, Piastri, Norris, Alonso, Hadjar, Russell, Leclerc, Bearman.
But not for long! Piastri slides past Antonelli and up into the podium places.
Lap 33 and Verstappen is in to pit for hards, followed by the rest of the grid, bar the McLarens and Stroll.
Verstappen is now P3, behind the two McLarens who need to pit again.
Bearman has a troublesome pit stop and was released with his car seemingly still attached to the rear jack.
He’s lost a massive amount of time, now in P18, and is under investigation for an unsafe release.
If Piastri or Verstappen win this race, the championship battle will go to Abu Dhabi, the final race of the 2025 season.
Norris is given some advice on how to use the car effectively through the radio and claims he’s trying but “can’t do it.” It’s not looking good for the championship leader.
Potential damage on the McLaren?
Norris has a wild moment at turn 14 and tells the team to check the car for damage. He’s losing time to his teammate.
Lap 40 and Verstappen is faster than Norris ahead, just under 2 seconds behind him.
The chase for the winner in Qatar is on.
Bearman serves his penalty in the pits on lap 42 and is last in P19, over 30 seconds behind Gasly ahead.
Piastri makes his stop on lap 43, a fantastic 1.8 seconds. But he’s still 17 seconds behind Verstappen.
Bearman does another lap and comes in to retire from the race.
Norris is still out and is holding Verstappen back slightly, but lap 45 and he’s come in to pit.
A 2.7 second stop for hards and he’s rejoined the track behind Sainz and Antonelli, in P5.
He’ll need to make up some major time to secure a podium place – it’s not looking likely.
Ten laps to go!!
Lap 47/57 of the Qatar GP and Verstappen is just under 15 seconds ahead of Piastri – it looks like the championship battle is going to Abu Dhabi.
Only a few laps to go and Norris hasn’t been able to get past Antonelli. He’s getting close, but not quite close enough.
Sainz reports a potential issue, not something he’d want to deal with, as he’s currently on course for a P3 podium finish.
Verstappen is still around 12 seconds clear of Piastri. Unless something major changes, the Red Bull driver will be our race winner.
Norris is still unable to get past the Mercedes. He’s getting closer, though, in DRS and catching up on lap 54 – but Antonelli is also on Sainz’s tail.
Hadjar has a puncture and is falling down the rankings from P6, limping around the track and into the pit lane.
Just before we start the final lap, Antonelli goes wide and Norris manages to pass through. He’s up into P4.
Verstappen begins the final lap of the race with a 10-second lead ahead of Piastri, ahead of Sainz, and, importantly, Norris.
Max Verstappen wins the 2025 F1 Qatar GP!
It’s official – the championship fight will go to Abu Dhabi. Norris leads the Dutch driver by 12 points, with Piastri a further four back.
Here’s our 2025 Qatar GP top 10:
Verstappen, Piastri, Sainz, Norris, Antonelli, Russell, Alonso, Leclerc, Lawson, and Tsunoda.
Finishing outside the points are:
Albon, Hamilton, Bortoleto, Colapinto, Ocon, Gasly, Stroll, Hadjar, Bearman, and Hulkenberg.
