Max Verstappen made the most of the opportunity to win F1 Qatar GP and bridge the gap, as Oscar Piastri was second and Carlos Sainz third.
It was a clean start in F1 Qatar GP at Lusail under the floodlights where McLaren’s Oscar Piastri maintained the race lead but Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the outside line to move up to second from McLaren’s Lando Norris, who tucked into third in the order.
Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli made a good start along with Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso to be fourth, fifth and sixth, as Mercedes’ George Russell lost out to be seventh. Visa Cash App RB’s Isack Hadjar dropped to eighth from Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc held to 10th, but the Monegasque lost it to Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg on Lap 2, with the German on the soft compound. There was a wide moment for Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton – also on the soft compound – behind when fighting Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson.
There was a wide moment for Gasly on Lap 3 which resulted in damage to his floor and a piece dragging underside. He was shown black and white flag for unsafe rejoin. But the pressure from Hulkenberg never ended. It eventually led to a crash between the two on Lap 7.
The German went for the outside line but when turning in, there was a collision, which ended his race. Gasly managed to continue but he dropped to last. The safety car saw everyone pit early on Lap 8, but both Piastri and Norris stayed out along with Haas’ Esteban Ocon.
The Frenchman eventually pitted a lap later but was handed a 5s time penalty for false start. He was handed another 5s after he failed to serve the penalty correctly. It was Piastri in the lead of F1 Qatar GP after re-start from Norris, but without having stopped anytime.
Verstappen was third with Sainz managing to clear Antonelli in the pits to be fourth. Alonso was sixth from Hadjar, as Russell dropped to eighth from Leclerc and Haas’ Oliver Bearman in the Top 10 points places. It was fast laps from both Piastri and Norris until Lap 25 when they were forced to pit.
And both Piastri and Norris hurried on against the rest of the field, so much so that the Australian and the Brit only lost three positions to slot in fourth and fifth. The former pitted on Lap 24, while the latter did so on Lap 25, as Verstappen took the lead from Sainz and Antonelli in the Top 3.
Crucially, both managed to come out ahead of Alonso and the chasing pack. Piastri cleared Anotnelli but was stuck behind Sainz, likewise Norris was behind Antonelli until Lap 32 when the rest of the field pitted under the guideline set by Pirelli of using a tyre set for 25 laps.
Piastri retook the F1 Qatar GP lead from Norris, with Verstappen in third ahead of Sainz, Antonelli, Alonso, Hadjar, Russell, Leclerc and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in the Top 10. Replays showed how Bearman lost 10th, when he had a slow stop and dropped to last.
Norris survived a moment which allowed Verstappen to close up, while Piastri stretched a lead. The Australian had a moment as well. They decided to pit him early on Lap 43 to go in the chasing mode. He was third in the order in the chase of Verstappen after Norris pitted on Lap 45.
The Brit dropped behind Sainz and Antonelli in fifth. Bearman was handed a 10s stop and go penalty for unsafe release which he served and decided to retire from the race. Alonso, meanwhile, had a moment of spin which allowed Hadjar and Russell through to sixth and seventh.
But the penultimate lap saw puncture for Hadjar which forced him to tour the track around and lose points places and put Tsunoda in the Top 10. At the front, Piastri started to gain time but it wasn’t as quick against Verstappen, while it started to become tough for Norris.
The Brit got Antonelli after a moment for the Italian, who was closing in on Sainz. The Spaniard complained of a potential issue. In the end, Verstappen took the F1 Qatar GP win by 7.995s margin over Piastri, as Sainz scored his second podium of the 2025 season.
Norris was fourth and is now only 12 ahead of Verstappen, who moved to second in the drivers’ standings with Piastri in third. Antonelli was fifth eventually from Russell, who gained after Hadjar’s puncture. Alonso was seventh from Leclerc, who all made up a position in the end.
Lawson was ninth from Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda to round out the Top 10 points places. Williams’ Alexander Albon was 11th from Hamilton, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, Ocon and Gasly to round out the 16 finishers, as Stroll and Hadjar retired on the final lap.
