Verstappen ‘did not put a foot wrong’ – Mekies

Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies hailed Max Verstappen's strategic victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, despite McLaren initially showing superior pace. The decisive moment came early when Red Bull pitted Verstappen under the Lap 7 Safety Car, a move McLaren opted against. This allowed Verstappen to leapfrog his rivals, securing a comfortable win and praising his flawless driving and the team's exceptional strategy calls. Mekies expressed surprise at McLaren's pit strategy, emphasizing how Red Bull transformed a challenging car into a competitive force. Verstappen's triumph propelled him to second in the Drivers' Championship, just 12 points behind Lando Norris and 4 ahead of Oscar Piastri, setting up a thrilling three-way title decider in the season's final race.