Bold claim: the title race just got a lot tighter than anyone expected. Lewis Hamilton was stunned to discover that Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix and has closed the gap to 12 points behind Lando Norris in the F1 drivers’ championship.
At the Lusail International Circuit, the Ferrari driver hadn’t even seen the final results when he approached the media pen for post-race duties. RacingNews365 informed him of Verstappen’s Qatar victory and its implications for the championship, catching him off guard.
Hamilton explained that a lack of on-track screens left him practically blind to the unfolding drama. He suggested that adding more screens around the 5.419 km circuit would be helpful, noting that he literally couldn’t see the race developing ahead of him.
Following Norris and Verstappen, Oscar Piastri sits just four points adrift, bringing the standings to 16 points between Piastri and Norris ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix—the final bell of the season.
When asked about the evolving picture, Hamilton queried, “So, Oscar’s how far behind?” and then, “How’s Max 12 behind now?” upon hearing the championship trio’s results from Qatar. The 105-time grand prix winner could hardly hide his astonishment.
“Max won? Oh shit, I didn’t know, I had no idea!” the seven-time champion exclaimed. “Holy shit! Wow! I thought Piastri won... Well, that’s exciting! It goes right to the last — to the wire.”
Regarding Verstappen, Hamilton—who battled him in the Yas Marina showdown of 2021—praised the Dutch driver and Red Bull while offering a candid caveat.
“We all know Max does a great job,” the 40-year-old said. “I think he’s got a phenomenal team behind him; there’s no denying that the best car really has been around for the last four years, and perhaps a bit less so at the start of this year. And yet, they somehow came back. He’s obviously got a great car, but he does an amazing job with it. So fair play to him.”
And for fans hungry for more action, there’s a handy 2026 F1 calendar you can load onto your phone or PC to stay in the loop. Download the calendar here: https://racingnews365.com/add-the-2026-f1-calendar-to-your-agenda-with-one-click
