Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was confirmed as a triple F1 world champion with a battling run to second position in Saturday’s Sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix, finishing between the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the end of an action-packed encounter.

Piastri started the 19-lap dash in pole position and, after losing the lead to Mercedes rival George Russell early on amid opposing tyre strategies, the rookie fought back to take his first F1 victory, with Verstappen – who only needed to finish sixth to kick off another round of championship celebrations – ultimately coming home in the runner-up spot ahead of Norris.

Indeed, Verstappen’s result saw him mathematically put the drivers’ championship out beyond the reach of team mate Sergio Perez, who retired in any case, confirming the Dutchman as the sport’s title winner for the third successive season after his breakthrough triumphs in 2021 and 2022.

It means Verstappen joins an exclusive group of drivers with three F1 crowns, including Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna, leaving quadruple champions Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel next up on the all-time list.

With the race start approaching, it was revealed that Piastri, Norris and Verstappen had all gone for medium tyres, while just behind them, the Mercedes of Russell and the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc opted to line up on the more aggressive softs.

Tyre choices were split across the rest of the grid, with Aston Martin pair Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly and Williams rookie Logan Sargeant bolting on softs, leaving the remaining drivers on medium rubber.

When the lights went out, pole-sitter Piastri made a clean getaway to keep his lead off the line and into Turn 1, but there was trouble for Norris and Verstappen as both of them got swamped by the soft-tyre starters, losing out to Russell, Sainz and Leclerc in quick succession.