DECEMBER 3, 2025

(Getty Images)

Max Verstappen (No, 1 Oracle Red Bull Racing) claimed a crucial victory in the Qatar Grand Prix from Oscar Piastri (No. 81 McLaren Formula 1 Team), with the title battle set to go down to the final round as championship leader Lando Norris (No. 4 McLaren Formula 1 Team) could only finish fourth. Verstappen's unlikely win was courtesy of McLaren's alternative strategy, which came as a consequence of an early Safety Car intervention and an enforced 25-lap maximum stint length on all Pirelli tire sets. Verstappen jumped Norris on the run to the first turn from P3 on the grid and shadowed poleman Piastri in the opening laps before a clash between Nico Hulkenberg (No. 27 Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber) and Pierre Gasly (No. 10 BWT Alpine Formula One Team) at Turn 1 several laps later turned the race on its head. While all drivers pitted for the first of two mandatory pit stops in the 57-lap race, both Piastri and Norris remained out on track, which ultimately put them behind Verstappen in the final order. Piastri was able to comfortably rejoin in a net-P2 after his final pit stop having shown strong pace out front all race, but Norris was unable to clear the chasing Carlos Sainz (No. 55 Atlassian Williams Racing) and Kimi Antonelli (No. 12 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team) after his pit stop. The Drivers' Championship leader passed Antonelli on the penultimate lap as the Mercedes driver ran wide, which means that a 22-point margin ahead of the race has been reduced to just 12 points from Verstappen with Piastri 16 adrift ahead of the final race at Abu Dhabi. Watch the Race Highlights here. (Thank you to Formula1.com)

 

Editor's Note: This is our dearly departed billboard, which we had at Road America for several years. Peter gifted the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" to the track, which now uses it proudly in all of its communications. -WG

Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG