Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull's Max Verstappen clinched a third world title by finishing second in a chaotic and incident-packed sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Three safety cars triggered by a series of accidents and collisions created a dramatic spectacle under the lights at the Lusail circuit won by McLaren's Oscar Piastri.

Verstappen fought back after dropping from third on the grid to fifth on the first lap but could not quite catch Piastri.

McLaren's Lando Norris passed Mercedes' George Russell late on to take third.

Read the full report here

Image source, Getty Images

The trophy celebrations will be going until a sensible hour in Qatar, as we still have a 57-lap event to come tomorrow.

Max Verstappen is a three-time world champion on 407 points in the standings - 184 points clear of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.

We can't forget Oscar Piastri in all the title revelry. A first win in Formula 1 for the Australian rookie.

Can he pick up a full race victory in the remaining grands prix this season?

This feels like a Sunday already. But no, we'll be back to take you through the action again tomorrow from 17:00 BST.

Saturday night party in the Red Bull garage.

Max Verstappen earned his F1 debut in 2015 with Toro Rosso, and at the time was the youngest competitor, aged 17. He went on to get his first podium and first victory at the Barcelona GP a year later, his 24th race of his F1 career.

But since then, he has raced under two teams, Toro Rosso and Red Bull, and is on his way to sealing his third consecutive world title this weekend in Qatar.

He has started a total of 179 Grand Prix races and has 92 podiums, 48 of those are race victories.

The now 26-year-old has continued to impress the world of F1 and make history after surpassing Sebastian Vettel's record of consecutive race wins earning ten to Vettel's nine this season.

He has now sealed a hat-trick of World Championship titles!

Image source, Getty Images

Uh-oh. Charles Leclerc was slapped with four track limits on the last lap alone! I think the Ferrari man will be handed a penalty after today's sprint race.

Max Verstappen also helped himself to Sebastian Vettel's old record of consecutive Formula 1 victories that has stood since 2013 during his dominate campaign this year.

The target was nine, Verstappen made it to 10 at the Italian Grand Prix last month...

Matthew Murnaghan: That was the best Sprint race I've ever seen in Formula 1. Congrats to Verstappen, but massive congrats to Piastri, who won his first race, even if it's a sprint!

Matt: 10/10 WHAT A RACE. It had everything: crashes, strategy, overtakes, battle for lead with non redbull, people charging through field, WDC decided, Williams point and MCLAREN WIN. BEST 19 LAPS OF THE SEASON.

Stuart Mitchell: Absolutely no doubt about max's domination this year this world title he fully deserves.. Also no doubt in my mind that the Mclaren is easily the 2nd best car on the grid right now, unbelievable development from McLaren this year from where they started the season.

The other elite group Max Verstappen has been welcomed into tonight is the drivers who have won three consecutive titles. Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes, Sebastian Vettel during his Red Bull days, Michael Schumacher in the Ferrari and Juan Manuel Fangio with a mix of teams are already members.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said afterwards: "It's been by far the most dominant so it's come as no surprise but to see Max join some of the great names he spoke about earlier he's in that bracket now. The way he's driven this year has been out of this world and I think you have to take a moment to reflect and be in the moment and everything he's done this year is phenomenal.

"That's his make-up and I think he's the most competitive driver that I've ever met, the determination that he drives with, the passion, the heart, the commitment and of course, the abundance of skill that he has. He's up there with the very very best, some of the greatest the sport has seen and I think this season has just surpassed anything we've seen."

It was always a slim, slim chance Sergio Perez could keep the title fight going, given how dominate his team-mate has been this season, but this was the moment the crown was placed on Max Verstappen's head after the Mexican driver crashed out of the sprint.

Image source, Reuters

McLaren’s Lando Norris finished in third and said: “First of all congrats to Oscar and congrats to Max, his first win, earlier than mine so a big well done to him. But a tough race for me just a bad start from me so it made everything much trickier but we fought back well, some fun racing, some good overtakes all the way till the last lap on George, tough but another podium for us and for the team it's been a good day."

Image source, Getty Images

Jos Verstappen, the father of Max Verstappen, shares some words with Sky Sports: "Of course we appreciate it, but it's also the way he did it, he was so dominant this year and he delivered really well and I'm very proud of that.

"I knew it (his talent) a long time when he was in go-kart. I think we made the right decision in the beginning of his career and now it's up to him what he does. I'm just very happy with how he does it and how strong he is, and the way he works for that."

The Max Verstappen championship T-Shirts are now on the bodies of every Red Bull crew member. What a season for the title winner's side of the garage. Records broken, race after race won. A third title secured with grands prix to spare. I wouldn't even make it into work tomorrow if I was on that team.

Lando Norris was very gracious to team-mate Oscar Piastri in his post-sprint interview. "Yep, His first win. Earlier than mine. Well done to him," said Norris. When will the Briton taste a maiden victory in Formula 1?

McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri earns his first win in Formula 1 in the Sprint race, he said afterwards: “Very happy, a very stressful race, all the soft guys cut through at the start I thought we were in a bit of trouble, then their tyres fell off pretty quickly so yeah that was good, safety cars were my friends today especially when Max got up behind me but the pace was reasonable. In a race where you had to manage a lot, the tyres, cars on other compounds I think we did a really good job. A first Sprint win sounds pretty cool."

Image source, Getty Images

Max Verstappen has access to the three-timers club with six races to spare. The Dutchman is now in the same bracket as F1 greats Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Max Verstappen wins his third world championship after coming second in the sprint race, he said: “Of course it's a fantastic feeling, it's been an incredible year and lots of great races and I feel super proud and super proud of the job of the team. It's been so enjoyable to be part of that group of people and to be three time world champion is just incredible."

On his future, he added: "We will keep on pushing and try to do the best we can, also today was quite an exciting race, it was a bit of a shame with the safety cars but overall it was fun out there."

On his personal target in F1, he said: "I am just seeing what happens, I am enjoying the moment and hopefully of course we can keep this momentum going for a while."

Oscar Piastri's mum, Nicole, has just posted this on X, formerly Twitter.

The 22-year-old said the sprint was a "very stressful race" but hey, he's very happy with that victory.

Image source, Nicole Piastri

The speakers are blasting out 'We Are The Champions' by Queen as Max Verstappen celebrates the sprint result with winner Oscar Piastri and third-placed Lando Norris.

Don't forget, the now three-time world champion will start on pole position for Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix.

11. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)

12. Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri)

13. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

15. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)

DNF. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

DNF. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

DNF. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

DNF. Logan Sargeant (Williams)

DNF. Liam Lawson (Alpha Tauri)

1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

3. Lando Norris (McLaren)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

6. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

7. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

8. Alex Albon (Williams)

9. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)