We celebrated the release of ‘F1’ in Times Square in New York back in June of this year, but I’m not sure any scenario could compete with what’s actually happening right now.
It’s been a horror movie for McLaren these last two races with a double disqualification in Las Vegas when their floors were measured to be the thickness of a too-worn piece of paper compared to the technical regulations, but there can be no gray areas on this kind thing and they were illegal.
A week later in Qatar, you really couldn’t have reconciled more dramatically. This smooth, fast track means that the drivers are empty for 70 percent of the lap, especially from turns 12 to 15, where the cars carry huge speeds and aerodynamic loads, placing great demands on the tires. Tires have broken down on this track before.
Pirelli is the sole tire supplier and they have an obligation to look after the safety of all concerned, but also, given they are guaranteed victory in every race and championship, the last thing a tire supplier needs is for their product to fail in a spectacular and very public way.
Because of this the minimum allowable tire pressures, which play a key role in structural integrity, were set very high for an F1 car at 29 psi front and 24.5 psi rear, but more importantly neither tire could be used for more than 25 laps, otherwise an effective 30 second penalty would apply.
In a 57-lap race this meant that the earliest pit stop for any driver would be on lap 7, leaving 2 x 25 laps to go in the race to sneak in under the rules.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Qatar Grand Prix 2025 highlights
McLaren is paying a high price for the gamble
All we heard before the race was that the two key laps were 7 and 32 to stop. With Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly making significant contact on the exit of the first corner and Hulkenberg stranded, the Safety Car was rightly called into action on, you guessed it, lap 7.
This meant that the remaining cars could legally pit and make it all the way, although they had to stretch their remaining two sets of tires all the way to the 25-lap mark. The problem was with so many cars in the pits at the same time, and often with both cars in several teams quite close to each other, getting two cars serviced from one pit stop position for each team and then getting them back safely in the fast lane and on track was a real challenge.
McLaren’s strategists decided not to drop Oscar Piastri in the lead and Lando Norris from third and to maintain flexibility in the tire decision rather than being locked into two 25-lap routes. This was a tough mistake because hardly anyone else did it, and Piastre already had such a lead that he would have comfortably taken the lead without holding Norris too much as he waited for serve.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Max Verstappen throws himself under the safety car as Lando Norris stays out at the Qatar GP
The Safety Car soon picked up the leaders and, by the end of the next lap, Max Verstappen and the rest of the pack were back on the tails of the McLaren with an effective free stop under their belt, worth a significant 26 seconds on this layout.
McLaren gambled on three things beyond their control and they paid a heavy price. Firstly, that others would do the same thing to stay out and Verstappen would have to negotiate traffic for a while on the restart, secondly that the flexibility of their tires would pay dividends later in the race, not least if there was another Safety Car, and in any case a fight with much less congested pit lanes. Thirdly, that they will have much fresher and faster tires in the closing stages to usurp Verstappen who is struggling on his long-lasting tyres. None of them took place.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Lando Norris discusses McLaren’s decision not to put its cars under Safety Car during the Qatar GP
Andrea Stella confirmed it was a conscious decision rather than fumbling or indecisiveness, and it seems it wasn’t just about being fair to both drivers in their championship chances. Throwing in both would have fixed it anyway even if Norris had lost some time and a few places at that point, but that’s the price of not being faster than Piastre that night.
I feel the most for Piastri, he was sublime all weekend and clearly the fastest combination on the track with two pole positions, an easy win in the Sprint and comfortably fastest in the main race. He managed to close 18 seconds on Verstappen from the 26 initially allocated, but was still eight seconds shy of the flag.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Oskar Pjastri told the team he was ‘unable’ on the team radio after the terrible Qatar GP
Max spends most of Norris’ dirty weekend
Max delivered another masterpiece of driving to make the most of McLaren’s gift and kept himself very much in the game for the championship showdown in Abu Dhabi this coming weekend.
Norris had a rough weekend on a track he doesn’t always gel with. He missed his final qualifying lap in both sessions due to track position and then a fault that saw him challenged on the grid. With the lesser-used right-hand side of the front row of the grid in the main race, third-placed Verstappen was virtually guaranteed to beat him to turn one and he did.
Norris made a few mistakes here and there and a lack of pace compared to Piastri, seemingly at a loss as to how to handle it at the controls, judging by his radio calls, which ensured he was behind Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli on the road and with some overtaking after the second stop.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok analyzes why Lando Norris was ‘compromised’ in his final sprint qualifying lap for the Qatar GP
Piastre passed Antonelli’s Mercedes earlier in the race with a confidence and commitment that was completely reminiscent of earlier in the season before he had half a dozen races in the wilderness to compare it to.
But Norris couldn’t find a way in the closing stages until Antonelli ran wide on the penultimate lap to gift him what could be a critical fourth place going into Sunday night. Bizarrely, Red Bull publicly suggested this was deliberate to allow Norris to score more points, which they had to formally withdraw.
Why Red Bull would think that Mercedes, with whom they are battling for second place in the Constructors’ Championship, would give points to their dominant buyer team McLaren, or anyone else, I really don’t know.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Watch out for Kimi Antonelli’s mistakes that caused Lando Norris to overtake during the Qatar GP
Sainz’s popular podium and a miserable weekend for Ferrari
That left Carlos Sainz in the last position on the podium which was hugely popular for him and his Williams team. As we have seen throughout his F1 career, when Sainz is presented with a golden opportunity, he grits his teeth and takes it, never giving up. It’s his second podium in seven races and well deserved as the team dropped him on lap 7 and accurately put him back in the fast lane through the fight.
That will be salt in the wounds for Williams team-mate Alex Albon who has had a frustrating time and is pointless in those same seven races.
Ferrari had a miserable weekend, which team principal Fred Wasser attributed to the very high tire pressure mentioned earlier. They lacked rear grip and overall handling balance and are now restricted to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship behind McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Lewis Hamilton suffered another qualifying disaster at the Qatar Grand Prix, eliminated for the second time in Q1
Charles Leclerc seemed to be battling his car in every corner of every lap to secure eighth place and Lewis Hamilton looked equally challenged and had plenty of adventures for an anonymous 12th. Times are very tough for the Scuderia, and especially for Lewis, who can now only hope that Ferrari do a great job on the big 2026 regulation changes if they are to add to any of the stat sheets in a positive way.
Antonelli is just two points behind Hamilton, the man he replaced at Mercedes, in the championship, and despite nine races in the wilderness, it will sum up Lewis’ year if the Italian teenager beats him to sixth in the championship.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Lewis Hamilton insists he is ‘hopeful of progress’ despite this year being his ‘most challenging’ as his Ferrari problems continued in Qatar
Norris remains the favorite for the title
Online, Max told me that he’s very chilled and doesn’t get angry at all these days. After the race he told me he didn’t care about the championship. It’s simply mind games aimed at the McLaren guys. In a sit-down interview earlier this week, he said his clash with George Russell at Barcelona, which cost him a crucial 11 points, was because he cares so much.
We know how noisy Max is with his team when the car isn’t right, or with other drivers or track conditions, he’s a solid winning machine that way and that’s because he really wants this championship, it’s going to be one of his best, if not his best yet.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Lando Norris responds to Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s comments that the F1 title race would already be over if the Dutchman drove a McLaren
Norris still has a 12-point lead, and with the best car on the track, and driving for a team that has dominated this championship, if everyone can stay calm and methodically, almost boringly, deliver a standard Grand Prix, he should take it.
I will be somewhat sad on Sunday night, because two drivers who deserve the World Championship this season will miss out. May the best driver with the calmest head win. Don’t miss this last race.
MB
The 2025 Formula 1 season concludes with the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Ski Sports from NOW – no contract, cancel anytime