F1 standings after Qatar GP as Max Verstappen closes gap on Lando Norris

Verstappen capitalised on an early safety car to win the race in Qatar

Lando Norris has seen his lead in the F1 driver’s world championship cut to 12 points after Max Verstappen triumphed in a highly dramatic Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday night.

Norris and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri got their strategy wrong during a safety car period at the start of the race, when they failed to stop and change tyres in what was a mandatory two-stop grand prix.

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When Norris eventually went into the pits for a second time, the British driver came back on track in fifth place, though he managed to overtake Kimi Antonelli in the closing stages and finished in fourth.

That means the title will be decided in Abu Dhabi with all three of Norris, Piastri and Verstappen in with a chance of claiming the crown. Norris’s lead is 12 points to Verstappen, with Piastri a further four points behind.

Here’s how the standings look after the Qatar GP

F1 driver standings after Qatar GP

1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 408 points

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 396 points

3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 392 points

4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 309 points

5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 230 points

6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 152 points

7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 152 points

8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 73 points

9. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 64 points

10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 51 points

11. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 49 points

12. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 48 points

13. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 41 points

14. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 38 points

15. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 33 points

16. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 32 points

17. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 32 points

18. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 22 points

19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 19 points

20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points

21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points

Lando Norris still leads Max Verstappen in the world championship (Getty Images)

F1 constructor standings (TBC)

1. McLaren - 800 points (champions)

2. Mercedes - 459 points

3. Red Bull - 426 points

4. Ferrari - 382 points

5. Williams - 137 points

6. Racing Bulls - 92 points

7. Aston Martin - 80 points

8. Haas - 73 points

9. Sauber - 68 points

10. Alpine - 22 points