The Formula 1 season is approaching a thrilling finale! In the final triptych – with races in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi – Max Verstappen and both McLaren drivers are vying for the world title. The Dutchman currently ranks third, 49 points behind World Championship leader Lando Norris. This means that he could be eliminated during the upcoming race weekend in Las Vegas and lose his title. What does he need to do to stay in the race?
After the summer break, Verstappen made a significant comeback. He won races in Italy, Azerbaijan, and the United States, steadily catching up with the McLarens. Oscar Piastri, who led a whopping fifteen Grand Prix, fell back significantly. He lost the lead to his British teammate, who has been in top form for several weeks. Verstappen narrowed the gap to Piastri, but Norris – thanks in part to victories in the sprint and the Grand Prix in São Paulo – pulled further ahead.
The question is: what does Verstappen need to do to stay in the title race? The current standings are as follows: Norris leads with a 24-point advantage over Piastri, who in turn is 25 points ahead of Verstappen. After the Las Vegas GP, there are still 58 points up for grabs. Simply put: if Norris has a 58-point lead over Verstappen after Las Vegas, the reigning world champion has no chance. To achieve this, Norris needs to score nine more points than his Dutch rival in Vegas. This can be achieved in the following ways:
- Norris finishes first and Verstappen does not finish higher than P3.
- Norris finishes second and Verstappen does not finish higher than P6.
- Norris finishes third and Verstappen does not finish higher than P7.
- Norris finishes fourth and Verstappen does not finish higher than P9.
- Norris finishes fifth and Verstappen does not finish higher than P10.
In all other scenarios, Verstappen remains in the title fight. However, Lando Norris cannot yet become champion in the gambling city; his lead over teammate Piastri is too small for that.
