Max Verstappen clinched victory in a dramatic Qatar Grand Prix, leading every lap in his first race since securing the world championship. The race was marked by significant incidents and penalties that reshuffled the finishing order.

Verstappen took the lead from the start, converting his second-place grid position into first place ahead of George Russell and Lando Norris. While Norris initially challenged for the lead, his race was later compromised by a 10-second stop-go penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags, dropping him to 10th place.

Charles Leclerc secured second place, with Oscar Piastri completing the podium in third. The result came amid a series of strategic battles and safety car interventions, particularly after debris on the main straight caused punctures for both Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.

Key Race Outcomes:

• Verstappen dominated with a lights-to-flag victory
• Leclerc's second place helped Ferrari close the gap in the constructors' championship
• McLaren's strong pace was undermined by Norris's penalty
• George Russell recovered to fourth despite a slow pit stop
• Pierre Gasly secured valuable points for Alpine in fifth

The race featured several notable retirements, including Sergio Perez with technical issues and a first-lap incident that eliminated Esteban Ocon and Franco Colapinto.

Championship Implications:

• Red Bull Racing is now eliminated from constructors' championship contention
• Ferrari reduced their deficit to the championship leaders to 21 points
• Alpine moved to sixth in the constructors' standings, five points ahead of Haas

The result sets up an intense finale in Abu Dhabi next weekend, with several championship positions still to be decided.

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