EAST LANSING- Over the past month, motorsport series around the world have come to their final laps of the season. Last weekend, Formula One took to The Lusail International Circuit in Qatar for round 23 of 24.

As a season of close competition endures its final races, the battle for the championship has become even closer. Heading into this race, Norris is the leader in points, followed by Piastri and Verstappen. 

The grid fills up with cars. Piastri started on the pole outside. Norris started second on the inside with Verstappen one row behind. The race is clean through the first laps. Piastri showed early speed leading the field. Verstappen takes over second place heading into turn 1.

On lap 7, an incident between Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly sent Hulkenberg into the garage with a DNF. With debris and cars stuck on track, a safety car was called to pace the cars. Under yellow, everyone pitted besides the two Mclaren drivers. This alternative strategy allows them more flexibility, but also will require them another pit stop relative to the rest of the drivers. 

The race restarted, and the laps began winding down. The Mclaren drivers make their mandatory pit stops closing in on lap 25, barely making it out ahead of the pack of drivers barreling down the front straightaway. The rest of the field pits a handful of laps later. After the pit cycles, it is clear that Mclaren did not play the right cards during this race. 

The race’s closing laps are clean to the end. Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar suffered a tire puncture in sixth position. He had to slowly make his way around the track in the final couple laps. 

Max Verstappen sees the checkered flag first, winning by over eight seconds. Consistent driving and strategy keeps their championship hopes alive. Oscar Piastri finishes in second, nonetheless he lost his current standing in the driver points to Verstappen. Strategy nightmare for Lando Norris. Coming into this race with an opportunity to take home the title, a fourth place finish will not make this happen. Verstappen is now second in the driver points standings, just 12 points behind Lando Norris for the 2025 Formula One Championship.

A notable finish in this race is Williams driver Carlos Sainz. Starting this race in seventh, he had many great drivers ahead of him. By the end of the race, he had finished on the podium in third. That marks the second time this has happened for him and team Williams this year. With a great Qatar GP in the books, Williams secured fifth in the Constructors’ Championship. This is their highest finish since 2016.

Next Sunday, December 7, at 8:00 a.m. EST,  the 2025 Formula One season comes to an end. Verstappen is now second in the driver points standings, just 12 points behind Lando Norris for the 2025 Formula One Championship. With one last visit to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, the three way battle for the championship will finally be crowned.