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The championship contender capitalized on a strategy call from the British team that flew in the face of decisions made by all other squads during an early race safety car deployment

This proved to be a costly decision that gave up track position to Verstappen in the final stages and in hindsight threw away the victory for Piastri

Race Outcome and Title Consequences

The race winner won to take his seventh win of the season, equalling the McLaren drivers, while the Piastri was runner-up and the Briton fourth behind the Williams car of the Spanish driver

Norris earned an extra two points by overtaking the Mercedes driver's Mercedes on the second-to-last lap

The championship leader has been left with a twelve point lead over his rival, who moved ahead of his teammate by four points heading to Abu Dhabi on December 5-7

To win the title, the British driver must secure a podium position at Yas Marina if his rival wins the race next Sunday

Critical Events of the Dramatic Race

• The team's decision not to pit when a yellow flag was deployed on the seventh lap for a crash between Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Sauber's Hulkenberg
• A decision initiated by Piastri to advance his final stop in a desperate attempt to challenge the leader came to nothing
• A unexpected second podium for Sainz handed by the team's strategy call

The Way McLaren Lost Out in The Race

The fateful moment for the team was when Gasly and Hulkenberg collided as the German tried to overtake the Frenchman around the outside of Turn One on the seventh lap

Hulkenberg's car was damaged beside the track This triggered the safety car

The critical part of the timing was that it left exactly 50 laps remaining in the grand prix

With Pirelli enforcing a 25-lap maximum usage on the tires, that signified anyone who made a stop at that moment was locked into a rigid strategy with a second stop on lap 32

Competitor Responses and Post-Race Statements

Speechless

Piastri added in his post-race interview: Obviously we didn't get it right tonight I drove the strongest performance I was capable of, as quick as I possible, but there was nothing left out there Tried my best but couldn't secure victory

Verstappen said: That represented an incredible race for us Our team executed the correct decision to pit That proved smart And super-happy to win here and stay in the fight to the head, incredible

Ultimate Grand Prix Standings

• 1. Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
• 2. Piastri (McLaren)
• 3. Sainz (Williams)
• 4. Norris (McLaren Racing)
• 5. Antonelli (Mercedes)
• 6. Russell (Mercedes)
• 7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
• 8. Leclerc (Ferrari)
• 9. Lawson (Racing Bulls)
• 10. Tsunoda (Red Bull)

Looking Ahead

The all-important title decider at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit This venue does not create the most thrilling racing, but yet again this evening event features an event which appears set to become every bit as dramatic as Vettel's maiden championship in 2010, or Verstappen's highly controversial first title in 2021