Shock F1 title showdown and unlikely podium success - Qatar GP Winners and Losers

Under the lights in Lusail, the F1 title battle took another twist.

Max Verstappen won his seventh grand prix of the season and took a step closer to a fifth title after moving to second place in the standings.

McLaren suffered a botched strategy call and endured the consequences, setting up a titanic title finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

So, who has made the RacingNews365 list of winners and losers for the 2025 F1 Qatar Grand Prix?

Winner - Max Verstappen

There is really only one place to start. Verstappen may not have been the fastest driver across the weekend, but he was there to capitalise on McLaren's blunder.

Verstappen showed his intent on the first lap with a move on Lando Norris before an early safety car offered an opening for the Dutchman. Acclaim must be sent the way of Red Bull for realising the opportunity the timing of that pit stop offered, as after McLaren opted for a different route, Verstappen sealed the victory.

The victory continued the 28-year-old's strong run of form after the summer break, marking his fifth victory in the last eight grands prix.

Verstappen's position as a title contender heading into the final round of the year was an unimaginable scenario just a couple of months ago.

While Verstappen's still remains an outside bet, the menacing presence of the Dutchman will be on McLaren's mind all through the Abu Dhabi weekend.

Loser - Oscar Piastri

Piastri was undeniably the strongest driver throughout the Qatar weekend, and under normal circumstances, that label would see him attached to the 'winner' label.

But in the context of the weekend and the implications for what the result has on his title bid, Piastri firmly belongs in the more sinister category.

Piastri, now 16 points down on the title lead, surely has now accepted that his chances of ending the year as the champion remain a bleak possibility.

There's no denying that Piastri had the pace deserving of a win in Qatar, but he was ultimately let down by McLaren's decision not to pit behind the safety car that was called early in the grand prix.

With Verstappen's threat in the standings more menacing than ever, Piastri may now find himself in a situation where he must play a support role for team-mate Lando Norris in Abu Dhabi.

Winner - Carlos Sainz

The early stages of Carlos Sainz's F1 stint with Williams were filled with hardships as he struggled to adjust to his new car.

However, the Spaniard has improved substantially of late, and the proof was in the pudding in Qatar when he crossed the line in third place.

It was his second podium finish of the year, exceeding many expectations after Williams' torrid 2024 campaign.

Sainz has been the breadwinner at Williams in recent times, taking over the strong point-scoring finishes from team-mate Alex Albon who was a consistent top 10 finisher up to the summer break.

Since the Italian Grand Prix in early September, Sainz has scored 48 points to Albon's three.

As a new era beckons for F1 in 2026 and a mountain of possibilities awaiting Williams, Sainz can take comfort in how he is finishing his maiden campaign at Grove.

Loser - Ferrari

Dear, oh dear, oh dear. It was yet another painful watch at Ferrari who walked away from the race weekend with four points to its name.

On Lewis Hamilton's side of the garage, it was one of the most torrid weekends of his F1 career. He was a consistent fixture at the back of the field all weekend, finding himself eliminated in the first segment of both sprint and grand prix qualifying.

Ferrari is now cemented in fourth place in the constructors' championship, with Leclerc's eighth place its only reward from a miserable weekend.

The car was a handful throughout every session, with Leclerc having to almost crash the car to get it into a top 10 starting position for the grand prix. 

The focus of the team has been on 2026 for some time, and there will be many fans hoping it can turn around its fortunes and be a front-runner once again.

Winner - F1

For the first time in 15 years, F1 will enter the final round of the year with more than two drivers in the fight for the title.

At the end of Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, either Lando Norris, Max Verstappen or Oscar Piastri will walk away with the crown in hand.

In 2010, the final round saw four drivers enter the event with the chance of fighting for the title. Since then, the 2012, 2016 and 2021 finales all featured title showdowns - albeit between two drivers.

It will be a new situation for many fans and puts F1 firmly in the sporting spotlight for next weekend.

While Norris enters the round as the undeniable favourite, given his 12-point lead over Verstappen, the pressure is hotter than ever to perform. A single slip-up could make all the difference.

Regardless of the outcome, it will be an exciting weekend for F1 fans.

Loser - Lando Norris

Having qualified behind team-mate Piastri, Norris' hopes of sealing the title in Qatar took a hit.

Still, with a calm race and the right decisions being made, the Briton had a chance to enter Abu Dhabi with one hand sealed around the trophy.

Instead, a disastrous strategy call at McLaren brought both of his title rivals closer to overtaking him, setting up a high-intensity, all-out brawl in Abu Dhabi.

Norris is in a strong position to bring home his maiden F1 title, but the increased pressure he is now under should never have become a reality.

Norris has undoubtedly bettered himself across the campaign and has come a long way from the early-season mistakes that cost him in close battles against Piastri.

But the upcoming Abu Dhabi weekend will be a true test of Norris' abilities under pressure. It is a situation he would rather do without, and one that could have been avoided if not for a poor strategic decision.