Oscar Piastri has been left the picture of dismay as his world championship title hopes took a potentially decisive hit through a calamitous strategic blunder by his McLaren team.
The Australian, comfortably the fastest driver over the weekend in Lusail, had to settle for second behind Max Verstappen on Sunday, slipping back to third in the title race after McLaren's gamble not to pit their drivers under an early safety car while all their rivals did.
It meant he lost what looked a surefire win, while teammate and championship leader Lando Norris could only finish fourth, his advantage trimmed to just 12 points over Red Bull's Verstappen going into the championship finale in Abu Dhabi next Sunday.
