The World Cup decision falls in the last race Formula 1 season. Max Verstappen has with his victory in Train moved up to second place in the overall ranking and only 12 points less than Lando Norris. His McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri is 16 points behind. What a finale this is Abu Dhabi on Sunday, the international press is also wondering.
- Netherlands
AD: “After his masterpiece in Qatar, Max Verstappen can seriously dream of the title again: The fight for the Formula 1 championship is entering the exciting final phase. The Formula 1 season reaches its climax in the very last race of the season. At McLaren they will ask themselves out loud: How on earth could it happen that the title fight is still not decided before the very last race in Abu Dhabi?”
Telegraph: “For the first time since 2010, at least three drivers still have a chance of winning the Formula 1 world title, with only one race left to drive. Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix, mercilessly exploiting a fatal mistake from McLaren.”
- Great Britain
Independent: “With his victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, Max Verstappen extends the fight for the Formula 1 title after Norris’ nightmare.”
Guardian: “Verstappen had a mountain to climb and from third on the grid, victory was a great result that made him an absolute contender for the final. It is remarkable indeed that he is so close and still in the race at the final round of the season.”
Daily Mail: “Give McLaren a gun and they would shoot themselves in the foot. So Lando Norris, the worry-maker, heads to Abu Dhabi for the season finale, where the title is still up for grabs. And the indomitable Max Verstappen, winner under the floodlights in Qatar, is still in the hunt for his fifth world title in a row thanks to a catastrophic strategy error by his rivals.”
Sun: “McLaren’s pit stop fiasco gives Max Verstappen a huge boost in his bid to defend the Formula 1 title, while conspiracy theories circulate.”
- Spain
Sports world: “You couldn’t wish for anything more for the finale of the Formula 1 World Championship with the race in Abu Dhabi. That’s where the curtain falls on the big horsepower circus.”
Mark: “Everything remains open for the final race in Abu Dhabi. And all thanks to an unimaginable mistake from McLaren, a major mistake on the pit wall when both cars were left on the track during the only safety car deployment and they were left to bleed out while Verstappen and the rest were able to make an almost free pit stop.”
As: “The stars were aligned, which was an essential prerequisite. But McLaren did the rest with a catastrophic strategic decision.”
The World: “A week after the technical disaster in Las Vegas, McLaren repeated its mistake and opened the door to victory for Max Verstappen in Qatar. A regrettable strategy with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris falling from first and second on the grid to second and fourth at the finish.”
Sport: “Verstappen is turning the world championship on its head.”
- Italy
Tuttosport: “Verstappen unstoppable.”
Corriere della Sera: “Verstappen’s magic once again. The World Cup remains exciting until the end.”
Gazzetta dello Sport: “Norris-Piastri-Verstappen, what sparks! The World Cup will be decided in Abu Dhabi.”
- Switzerland
Blick: “When it comes to papayas, you have to go over the books: A week after the Las Vegas fiasco (both cars were subsequently disqualified), the team world champion now lost his nerve during a safety car phase in Qatar. Something that you definitely can’t afford to happen again in Abu Dhabi.”
Daily indicator: “Two embarrassing mistakes from McLaren – and suddenly Verstappen is back to the world title.”
- France
The Parisian: “With one Grand Prix before the end of the season, the Briton (Norris) is only 12 points ahead of Verstappen and 16 points ahead of Piastri. That was unimaginable a few weeks ago when Red Bull was on the ground and Norris was far ahead.”
The World: “We’ll see each other again next Sunday.”