Verstappen wins Qatar Grand Prix as Norris faces penalty setback

Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix, marking his ninth victory of the season. He maintained his lead despite a penalty that affected Lando Norris, who was competing closely for the win until he was dropped to the back of the field. The race featured multiple penalties and incidents, including crashes and a safety car deployment. Norris received a penalty for not slowing for yellow flags, which McLaren's team principal criticized as overly harsh. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished second, while Oscar Piastri took third. The constructors' title race remains tight, with McLaren's lead over Ferrari reduced to 21 points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.