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Max Verstappen has closed the gap to 12 points in the F1 drivers’ world championship as the title race goes down to the final round in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen started in third last week in Qatar and took second place from Lando Norris at the start, before capitalising on a McLaren strategy blunder. While the whole field pitted on lap seven after a safety car, both Norris and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri opted to stay out, losing their opportunity to make a “free” pit-stop.
McLaren were playing catchup thereafter and Verstappen comfortably claimed the win, with Piastri in second and Norris down in fourth.
It means Verstappen is still in with a fighting chance of claiming his fifth consecutive world championship in Abu Dhabi. He is 12 off Norris and four ahead of third-placed Oscar Piastri.
So what does Verstappen need to win the title?
It now goes down to Abu Dhabi.
Norris has a 12-point lead over Verstappen, who is now in second place. Piastri is a further four points back, 16 off his teammate.
It is a normal race weekend in Abu Dhabi. Therefore, Norris will win the world championship if he finishes on the podium at the Yas Marina Circuit.
A minimum third place (15 points) in Abu Dhabi would give Norris an unassailable 27-point lead.
Fourth place (12 points) would give Norris a 24-point lead and, thus, if Verstappen then won the race, the Dutchman would take the title by one point.
Alternatively, put simply, Verstappen needs to score 13 more points than Norris.
Twelve more points would put them level but, unless Verstappen won (in which case he’d win the title anyway if Norris finished off the podium) they would both be tied on countback on seven wins each. It then goes to second-place finishes, where Norris has the advantage with eight compared to Verstappen’s five.
Piastri has an even harder task. He needs to score 16 or more points than Norris and four more points than Verstappen.
If they’re all level on points, it goes to countback. As it stands, all three drivers have won seven races, but Norris has eight second-place finishes, compared to five for Verstappen and four for Piastri.
