'This one is my best F1 title'. But Verstappen shares glory with Piastri in Qatar sprint

Max Verstappen has won the 2023 Formula 1 drivers’ title, but had to share the headlines with Oscar Piastri who took his first F1 victory in the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race.

It always looked a formality that Verstappen would join the list of three-time champions, which includes Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda, Jackie Stewart and Jack Brabham, after the race. He only needed three points from a sixth-place finish — fewer if the only other contender Sergio Perez didn’t win.

But, in the event, the title was decided on lap 11 when a three-car battle involving Perez ended with him being taken out by Esteban Ocon’s sliding Alpine, confirming his team-mate as champion.

The Mexican was battling for ninth, and had never looked like winning. But neither was Verstappen his usual dominant self. He lost ground at the start and his recovery drive to second wasn’t enough to catch a runaway Piastri.

“To be a three-time champion is incredible. It’s been an incredible year, a lot of great races.” Praising the team, he added: “It’s just been so enjoyable to be a part of.”

Asked how this season ranked in his trio of titles, he said: “This one is the best one. The first one was the most emotional one because that’s when your dreams are fulfilled in F1 but this one has definitely been my best year.

“This one is probably the [one I’m] most proud of in a way because of consistency.”

After a year of overwhelming dominance, the Qatar sprint showed what the championship battle could have been, had the other frontrunners been able to match Red Bull and Verstappen’s pace.

It was a thriller, albeit interrupted by three safety cars. Third on the grid and on medium tyres, Verstappen got a poor start and was swallowed up by the fifth-and sixth-starting soft-tyred Ferraris.

Up ahead, George Russell (soft tyres) surged into second place from fourth on the grid and shadowed polesitter Piastri (mediums) who had kept the lead, while Verstappen began his fightback by passing Lando Norris.

But Liam Lawson lost his AlphaTauri and span out, bringing out an early safety car. Piastri lines up behind, followed by Russell and both Ferraris, followed by Verstappen and Norris.

The fireworks resumed at the restart; the action was relentless. Alonso and Norris were locked in battle as Russell muscled past Piastri but, once again, after just a few corners of racing, Logan Sargeant span out.

Cue another safety car period, and a chance to catch up on the replays.

The restart brought Sainz and Piastri fighting for second, while Russell set to work on building a gap before his tyres lost their potency. It didn’t take long.

Halfway through and Verstappen started making his move. A trademark DRS pass on Charles Leclerc took him up to fourth. A lap later and he was into the top three with a virtually identical move on Sainz.

At the same time, Piastri was taking chunks out of Russell’s 2sec buffer, as the soft runners started to struggle, and he was through in little time ‚ just before the third safety car of the race, when Nico Hülkenberg was sandwiched by Perez and Ocon, and the Alpine driver squeezed the Haas, which had nowhere to go.

Despite the multiple safety car laps, the soft runners were struggling so much that Russell pleaded to pit, which would have dropped him to the back of the field.

He remained out and it didn’t take long for Verstappen to take advantage and move up behind Piastri. “I thought once he got through into second, I was going to be in trouble but the pace was good,” said the McLaren driver.

Verstappen agreed: “I tried everything I could to catch up but we fell short at the end”

Behind, the medium-tyred Norris picked off the Ferraris and Russell to take the final place, disappointed that the safety cars had cost him the chance to fight for victory.

With six grands prix remaining (including in Qatar), there may still be time for Norris — and for Verstappen to continue his record-breaking run. He’s already on course to smash his own F1 record score of 454 points in one season, and could well break his record of 15 wins in a single year: victory in the next six GPs would take him to 19.