F1 Qatar GP live commentary and updates - Race

Lap 30/57 - Piastri passes Antonelli

He's done it straight away! After getting a big tow on the straight, Piastri can brake so much later into Turn 1 to nab third off Antonelli, who doesn't even try to defend.

Over to you, Lando. He's now on the rookie's case too.

This time Antonelli does put up a defence and keeps Norris behind for another lap. But he, Verstappen and Sainz will pit now anyway.

Lap 33/57 Verstappen pits

Verstappen pits from the lead with a 15-second lead on Piastri. He comes out in third behind Norris.

Here comes a gaggle of cars streaming into the pitlane, with lots of teams having to double-stack.

No position changes in the top 10, but Bearman has had a disaster, we haven't seen why yet.

Lap 35/57

The order as it stands, with the two McLaren still due a pitstop. They are now running mediums, Verstappen is on the hard tyre to the end.

1 Piastri
2 Norris 4.5
3 Verstappen 8.5
4 Sainz 27
5 Antonelli 33

Bearman left without his left-rear wheel being attached. That's generally not a great thing to do. The team managed to attach it, but that has dropped him to 18th.

He is absolutely furious, punching the steering wheel in disgust.

What does McLaren do now?

Some lucid thinking from Piastri: "We need to weigh up what the best idea is. Trying to get a safety car or just beating him on pace?"

To get a safety car, Piastri should stay out on his mediums for the full 25-lap stint, then a short blast on softs.

The more optimal stint for pace is to push harder now and come in sooner.

Lap 39/57

Norris is losing ground, he is not going to beat Verstappen today.

1 Piastri
2 Norris 6.8
3 Verstappen 9.0

Norris has gone off and is asking his team to check for damage. It tallies with why he is losing four tenths per lap to Piastri and three to Verstappen behind him.

Piastri dips two wheels onto the gravel and nearly bins it! He is doing everything he can to win this race. But it's not going to be enough.

"Maybe we need to box now and chase him down."

Funnily enough Norris is now helping Piastri by holding up Verstappen in second...

Piastri still wants to come in for softs ASAP. 

1 Norris
2 Verstappen +0.8
3 Piastri +17

Can Piastri close a 16-second gap to Verstappen, and then overtake him, over the next 14 laps? Surely not.

Lap 45/57 - Pitstop Norris

Piastri fires in a massive 1m22.9s while Norris pits from the lead and drops to third.

A 2.7s stop for Norris as he rejoins in fifth behind Sainz and Antonelli. If his car really is damaged, he'll be in trouble for that podium.

Alonso spins

It's a 360-degree spin for Fernando Alonso, who loses sixth and seventh to Hadjar and Russell.

Lap 46/57

1 Verstappen
2 Piastri 15
3 Sainz 21
4 Antonelli 23
5 Norris 27
6 Hadjar 44
7 Russell 45
8 Alonso 48
9 Leclerc 49
10 Stroll 54

Another tank slapper for Norris, but he is closing the gap to Antonelli.

Lap 48/57

That's 10 laps to go in this intriguing Qatar Grand Prix. Hulkenberg and Gasly really made this into a gripping strategy battle with their collision.

Piastri still trails Verstappen by 14 seconds, who has been given the go-ahead to push.

If it stays like this Verstappen will be 10 points behind Norris...

So if Verstappen wins and Norris finishes third in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen takes a fifth title on countback.

And to think McLaren is easily quickest today and could have scored a 1-2 to punt the Dutchman out of the fight altogether. Good grief.

Norris can make his life a whole lot easier by clearing Antonelli. The McLaren is within DRS range.

Not close enough starting lap 52. Norris has four more attempts down to Turn 1.

Lap 53/57

Five to go. Verstappen is cruising to win number 70. And a lifeline to take a fifth consecutive title.

Piastri is still gaining but nowhere near enough, he is still 10 seconds behind.

Sainz is reporting understeer and is starting to fall into the clutches of Antonelli and Norris.

1 Verstappen
2 Piastri 10
3 Sainz 23
4 Antonelli 24
5 Norris 25
6 Hadjar 49
7 Russell 50
8 Alonso 53
9 Leclerc 56
10 Lawson 61

Can't really see it happening. Norris hasn't got the overspeed on Antonelli that the McLarens had earlier in the race.

Antonelli needs two more good exits out of the final corner to keep fourth. He has also picked up Sainz's DRS.

Norris passes Antonelli for fourth

But Antonelli goes wide!! Norris takes fourth and with it two extra points.

Lap 57/57

It was Turn 10 where Antonelli drifted off in Sainz's dirty air. Norris swooped past and is now trailing Sainz, but with no more straights to pass.

Max Verstappen wins the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has done it! Another flawless performance from the four-time world champion, and with it a fighting chance to secure a fifth next week!

Verstappen - Piastri - Sainz on podium

Behind Piastri, it's another brilliant podium for Carlos Sainz and Williams, as Norris pays a big price for McLaren's fumble by stranding in fourth.

Top 10

1 Verstappen
2 Piastri 
3 Sainz 
4 Norris
5 Antonelli  
6 Russell 
7 Alonso 
8 Leclerc 
9 Lawson
10 Tsunoda

It looks like Isack Hadjar suffered a retirement with two laps to go, dropping him out of sixth. That's horrific luck. 

Ironically it elevates Yuki Tsunoda, the man he is set to replace at Red Bull next year, into a point.

It's a huge celebration in parc ferme between Verstappen and his engineers. He's somehow still alive in the title fight.

Sainz has also leapt over the barriers into his crew. Piastri's reaction is...more reserved.

Verstappen: "McLaren's decision interesting"

Verstappen is first up with Martin Brundle. "This was an incredible race for us. We made the right call as a team to box under the safety car."

Asked about McLaren's decision not to box under the safety car: "That's an interesting move..."

Race strategist Hannah Schmitz gets the honours to go up on the podium to collect the constructors' trophy.