HANNAH SCHMITZ Calls Perfect Qatar GP Strategy Despite Team’s Doubts

December 1, 2025

• When the safety car hit the Qatar GP on lap seven, Red Bull’s chief strategy engineer HANNAH SCHMITZ had her plan ready—pit both cars regardless of what McLaren did. While her own team questioned the call and McLaren kept their race leaders out, Schmitz stuck to her guns with unwavering confidence: “definitely that’s the right thing to do.”
• The move paid off brilliantly as every team except McLaren seized the cheap pit opportunity, giving Verstappen crucial track position. Schmitz’s analysis afterward was surgical—she called out McLaren’s “papaya rules” as potentially hampering their strategic flexibility, suggesting their obsession with driver fairness cost them the race.
• This wasn’t just another pit strategy win; it showcased how SCHMITZ operates under pressure when doubt creeps in from all sides. While McLaren had the pace to dominate, their hesitation handed Red Bull the victory on a silver platter, proving that sometimes the best strategy is simply having the courage to execute your plan when everyone else is second-guessing.

formula 1, formula 1 qatar grand prix, oracle red bull racing, pit strategy