Lando Norris has the opportunity to secure the Formula 1 drivers’ championship this Sunday at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Norris and his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, suffered a significant setback at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, when both were disqualified hours after the race.
This unexpected turn added excitement to a championship that has kept fans on the edge of their seats, allowing Max Verstappen of Red Bull to get closer in the fight for his fifth consecutive title.
With only two races remaining, the championship is at a crucial point.
However, Norris could secure the title this weekend in Qatar.
Norris remains the favorite, although his lead has been reduced after the double disqualification. Before the race in Las Vegas, Norris led Piastri by 30 points and Verstappen by 42. Now, the difference has narrowed to 24 points over both, with two races remaining.
Despite the double disqualification benefiting Verstappen, ironically it also helped Piastri, who had lost ground after finishing in fourth place in Nevada.
The championship positions are:
Norris – 390 points
Piastri – 366 points
Verstappen – 366 points
A key factor is that Piastri is currently ahead of Verstappen in the standings, as he has seven wins compared to Verstappen’s six. Tiebreakers are based on the number of wins.
If the drivers are tied on points and wins, second places are considered, and so on.
How can Lando Norris win the title at the Qatar Grand Prix?
Only Norris has the possibility of winning the championship in Qatar, given his current position and is the only one who ensures his participation in the last race in Abu Dhabi, regardless of the results this weekend.
There are 58 points available in the two remaining races, of which 33 will be contested in the Qatar Grand Prix, which includes a sprint race.
However, Norris will not be able to win the title on Saturday in Qatar, regardless of the result of the sprint race.
To be champion, Norris must leave Qatar with a lead of 26 points or more, which means surpassing Piastri and Verstappen by two points or more (adding the sprint and the grand prix).
If Norris doesn’t secure the title in Qatar, he could still arrive in Abu Dhabi with an advantage. The biggest advantage that Verstappen or Piastri could have would be nine points, which would require Norris not to score points in Qatar.
The sprint race awards points to the top eight finishers (8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1), while a Grand Prix awards points to the top ten (25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1).
Who is in better shape?
Norris has proven to be the best-performing driver, with podiums in Singapore and Austin, followed by consecutive victories in Mexico and Brazil. Although Las Vegas ended in disqualification, Norris achieved pole position in difficult conditions and obtained a solid second place.
Verstappen has also performed remarkably since the summer break, with four victories in the eight subsequent races. In those races, he also reached the podium in the four he didn’t win.
Verstappen’s performance is due to several factors, including Red Bull’s improvements at the Italian Grand Prix. However, his performance has demonstrated his worth as a four-time champion.
A fifth championship this year could be considered one of the most outstanding in F1 history, given the distance Verstappen had after the Dutch Grand Prix, where he was 104 points behind Piastri, who was leading the championship at that moment.
Piastri’s performance, on the other hand, has been less consistent.
His victory in Zandvoort on August 31st seemed to be a significant moment, opening a 34-point lead after his teammate, Norris, retired due to car problems.
Piastri has lost that advantage since then and hasn’t finished a race ahead of Norris since the Dutch Grand Prix.
