Verstappen lands ‘another one’ McLaren quip after Qatar GP strategy error

Max Verstappen goes into the final round in Abu Dhabi very much in the hunt to become a five-time world champion, after claiming a critical victory at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Verstappen and Red Bull got their strategy spot on when an early Safety Car appeared, while McLaren were left to rue staying out. After a back-and-forth earlier in the weekend between Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris, Verstappen quipped that Qatar was “another” error which had allowed him further back into the title race.

Max Verstappen benefits from ‘another’ error

After Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly collided on Lap 7, triggering the Safety Car, Verstappen dived into the pit lane. McLaren kept both Oscar Piastri and Norris out.

With a 25-lap limit in place for tyre safety reasons, that proved to be a wrong move from McLaren, with both drivers still needing to make two stops.

Verstappen went on to win by eight seconds from Piastri, while Norris was restricted to fourth. A late wide moment from Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli gifted the championship leader P4, and the two extra points which goes with it.

But, the spectre that is Verstappen now looms large going into the Abu Dhabi title decider next weekend. He will head there now only 12 points behind Norris.

Earlier in the race weekend, Verstappen had suggested that he was only still in the title picture due to “other people’s failures”. Norris had responded by stating his “respect” for Verstappen, but added: “Max generally has a good clue about a lot of things. But, there’s also a lot of things he doesn’t have much of a clue about.”

He suggested that “Red Bull’s way of going about things is this kind of aggressive nature and, yeah, just talking nonsense a lot of the time.”

Following his victory, Verstappen was asked whether McLaren’s Qatar strategy blooper supported his claim.

“Another one, yeah,” he responded.

More Qatar GP reaction via PlanetF1.com

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Appearing in the post-race press conference, Verstappen was asked whether he was surprised to see McLaren keep Piastri and Norris out, when every driver, bar the McLarens and Esteban Ocon, pitted behind the Safety Car.

“When they called me in, I had to look and remember that we were going into Lap 7. So I was like, ‘Okay, now we can go to the end,'” said Verstappen.

“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 pits, I was like, ‘Okay, I think this is a very good opportunity now for us to win the race.'”

Asked if he thought, at that moment, that this was his race to lose, Verstappen replied: “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.”

Verstappen had been on the back foot versus McLaren throughout the Qatar race weekend up until Grand Prix Sunday, but turned the tables when it mattered most.

He was therefore quizzed on what areas of the Red Bull RB21 were better compared to earlier in the race weekend.

“I mean, it was still the same as in qualifying,” Verstappen confirmed.

“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. I think we did that very well.”

It will be a three-way duel for the championship in Abu Dhabi, with Norris, Verstappen and Piastri covered by 16 points.

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