ABU DHABI SHOWDOWN: MCLAREN BLUNDER PUTS THREE DRIVERS IN TITLE FIGHT
McLaren's costly decision not to pit during an early Safety Car ruined their race, handing Max Verstappen victory. The three-way championship fight now heads to Abu Dhabi.
Formula 1 fans are unhappy after McLaren's bad weekend at the Qatar Grand Prix. The three-way championship will now be decided in Abu Dhabi at the end of the season.
McLaren started strong at the Losail International Circuit, locking out the front row. But they finished in second and fourth place after making the wrong call during an early safety car period.
Oscar Piastri kept his lead, and Lando Norris fell to third behind Max Verstappen at the start. When Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly crashed, the safety car came out. While everyone else pitted, McLaren stayed out, which turned out to be a mistake.
Norris had a chance to knock Verstappen out of the championship fight in Qatar. Now, the battle goes to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Norris leads Verstappen by 12 points, and Piastri trails Verstappen by four.
Fans have been sharing their opinions, and many are critical of McLaren's strategy.
One fan wrote on Reddit, I just rewatched the race... Did McLaren really think they could beat a Verstappen who's still trying to win the championship? McLaren has made some crazy decisions this season, but this was too much.
Another fan said, I'm just feeling negative about it all.
Someone else commented, After hearing about the tire issue earlier in the weekend, I thought everyone would pit during any VSC or SC after lap 7. I was shocked when two McLarens stayed out. Missing an easy stop was a bad idea right away. They just needed to be a little careful, but they weren't. Another added, This is one of the biggest screw-ups I've seen in a while!
Other comments included, "I think they knew they messed up but tried to keep Lando's spirits up," and "Typical McLaren strategy call." Based on hope, not reality.
One fan wrote, If I quit my good job and tell my wife, 'I have more freedom in my career,' she'd divorce me the next day. The number of pit stops required was limited in this race. You don't need a supercomputer to figure out the possibilities and better odds. Mess around, and you'll get a bad result.
A very unhappy fan added, It's a huge mistake. Everyone was questioning it during the race—commentators, drivers, everyone. It seemed like everyone was shocked by McLaren's choices. They could have easily gotten first and second or first and third between Oscar and Lando. Either way, Max would have been out of the title fight.
Instead, they've created a tense three-way championship decider in Abu Dhabi. McLaren is lucky that Lando passed Antonelli on the last lap. Those two extra points could save Lando in the end.
Other than that, there's nothing good for them. They had no excuse to mess it up since Max was clearly slower, but they did it anyway.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
