Overview
- McLaren kept Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris out under a lap‑seven safety car triggered by a Nico Hülkenberg–Pierre Gasly collision, while 17 rivals including Max Verstappen pitted.
- Team principal Andrea Stella said the call was driven by fears of rejoining in traffic, noting double‑stacking Norris was considered but "wasn't the main reason," and conceded the decision was wrong.
- The 25‑lap maximum stint rule effectively mandated two stops, making the early safety‑car stop highly advantageous; Verstappen won, with Piastri second and Norris fourth behind Williams' Carlos Sainz.
- Norris leads the championship by 12 points over Verstappen, with Piastri four further back, and a third‑place finish in Abu Dhabi would clinch the title for Norris.
- McLaren CEO Zak Brown accepted full responsibility, while Red Bull strategist Hannah Schmitz said pitting on lap seven was pre‑planned; discussion over McLaren's 'papaya rules' surfaced, which Stella downplayed as a factor.