F1: Norris vs Piastri vs Verstappen, The Fight for the World Title!

Formula 1: The Fight for the 2025 Championship Reaches its Climax

The 2025 Formula 1 season is heading towards an electrifying end. After 21 races full of emotions, the drivers’ championship is red hot, with three main competitors in the fight for glory. Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Max Verstappen face off in an exciting final stretch of three Grand Prix that will define the championship. Who will take the victory?

Current Ranking

After a perfect weekend in São Paulo, Norris leads with a 24-point advantage over his McLaren teammate, Piastri. Verstappen, the current Red Bull world champion, is 25 points behind. George Russell, from Mercedes, is in fourth position, but is too far away to have mathematical chances of winning the title.

Who’s in the Lead?

Currently, Norris is the driver in the best form. After some difficulties with the McLaren car at the beginning of the season, he has achieved pole position and victory in consecutive races, including a Sprint victory in Interlagos. This has quickly turned him from chaser to chased. On the other hand, Piastri’s form has declined. The Australian was the favorite to win his first title after winning the Dutch Grand Prix, but he hasn’t managed to get to the top of the podium since then, nor has he even achieved a podium finish in the last four races. This has propelled Norris to the lead position in this title battle.

MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images

When Could the Title Be Defined?

In the three remaining Grand Prix (25 points per victory) and one Sprint (eight points), there is a maximum of 83 points available for a driver. After the next race in Las Vegas, there will still be 58 points at stake. This means that Norris, even if he has a perfect weekend and his rivals don’t score points, will not be able to secure the championship in Las Vegas, as he could only extend his lead to a maximum of 49 points. Therefore, the title could be decided in Qatar, where a driver would need to have an advantage of at least 26 points over the second-placed competitor. For Norris, four second places in the races and the Sprint would be enough to triumph, while Piastri and, especially Verstappen, need the Briton to have problems in some race.

The Las Vegas GP is the next stop for Norris, Piastri and Verstappen.Clive Mason – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

Upcoming Races: Where and When

LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX

Points at stake: 25

Schedules:

• Friday, November 21: Practice 1 00:30-01:30 GMT, Practice 2 04:00-05:00 GMT
• Saturday, November 22: Practice 3 00:30-01:30 GMT, Qualifying: 04:00-05:00 GMT
• Sunday, November 23: Race 04:00 GMT

QATAR GRAND PRIX

Points at stake: 33

Schedules:

• Friday, November 28: Practice 1 13:30-14:30 GMT, Sprint Qualifying 17:30-18:14 GMT
• Saturday, November 29: Sprint 14:00-15:00 GMT, Qualifying 18:00-19:00 GMT
• Sunday, November 30: Race 16:00 GMT

ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX

Points at stake: 25

Schedules:

• Friday, December 5: Practice 1 09:30-10:30 GMT, Practice 2 13:00-14:00 GMT
• Saturday, December 6: Practice 3 10:30-11:30 GMT, Qualifying: 14:00-15:00 GMT
• Sunday, December 7: Race 13:00 GMT

Other Factors at Play

In addition to the fight for the drivers’ title, with the constructors’ championship already secured by McLaren, the most fascinating battle in this final stretch of races is between Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. These three teams are competing for second place in the team standings, which is crucial for prize money and momentum for the following season. An important factor is that, the lower a team finishes in the championship, the more time in the wind tunnel it is allowed to work on next season’s car. With a major rule overhaul for 2026, finishing fourth instead of second might not be the worst thing in the world. After a good weekend in São Paulo, Mercedes is in second place with 398 points, with Red Bull, powered by Verstappen, 30 points behind. Ferrari, after a disastrous double retirement, occupies fourth place with 362 points.