As the 2025 Formula 1 season reaches its final few races, the title fight is heating up. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen faces a tough fight against McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
With just 5 races left in the season, fans are asking one big question, can Verstappen still win the 2025 F1 title? Here’s a simple breakdown of the current standings, remaining races, and what Verstappen needs to do.
Current Championship Standings
With 19 races completed in the 2025 Formula 1 season, McLaren holds the upper hand. Oscar Piastri leads the way with 346 points, teammate Lando Norris has 332, and Max Verstappen sits in third position with 306. The points difference currently stands at:
- Piastri → Verstappen: 40 points
- Norris → Verstappen: 26 points
Red Bull started the season strong, but McLaren’s consistent double podiums and smart strategies have shifted the balance of power. Now, with only five races left in the championship, every point counts.
How Many Points Are Still Available?
The 2025 Formula 1 calendar features 24 races in total. With 19 completed, five rounds remain, including two Sprint weekends (São Paulo and Qatar). Here’s how the points system works this season:
- Race winner: 25 points
- Sprint winner: 8 points (down to 1 point for P8)
- No fastest-lap bonus in 2025
So, in the final five rounds:
- 3 regular race weekends = 3 × 25 = 75 points
- 2 sprint weekends = 2 × (25 + 8) = 66 points
That’s a maximum of 141 points still available for any driver. Mathematically, Verstappen can still win the championship, but it depends on his performances and McLaren’s results in the remaining races.
What Verstappen Needs to Do
1. If Verstappen wins two of the remaining races: He can close the 40-point gap to Piastri if the McLaren driver finishes outside the podium in those rounds. Two strong wins could swing the fight in Verstappen’s favour.
2. If Verstappen wins every remaining race and sprint: He could earn all 141 points. That would take his total to 447 points, enough to secure the title if Piastri and Norris don’t consistently finish near the top.
3. If McLaren stays consistent: Both Piastri and Norris have been regular podium finishers. If that trend continues, Verstappen will need more than just wins, he’ll need both McLarens to lose valuable points through mistakes, mechanical issues, or strategy errors.
4. If Red Bull finds late-season pace: Red Bull has introduced several car upgrades since the summer break. If those updates improve tyre management and race pace, Verstappen could regain the edge he showed in early 2025.
Factors That Could Influence the Title Race
- Reliability: McLaren’s car has been strong and reliable all season. Red Bull needs clean, trouble-free races ahead to stay in contention.
- Team strategy: McLaren’s two-car advantage gives them more strategic options. If they use team tactics wisely, they could block Verstappen’s chances of gaining points.
- Track strengths: Circuits like São Paulo, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi have traditionally suited Red Bull’s aerodynamic strengths, giving Verstappen a fighting chance.
- Pressure: Piastri and Lando are chasing their first world title, while Verstappen is hunting his fifth. Experience under pressure could be an advantage for the Dutchman.
Can Verstappen Realistically Do It?
From a mathematical standpoint, yes, Verstappen can still win the 2025 title. With 141 points still available and only a 40-point gap to the top, the numbers are in his favour. However, the
real challenge is McLaren’s form. Both Piastri and Norris are scoring consistently, and unless one of them has a major setback, Verstappen will need near-perfect weekends to overturn the loss.
If Verstappen can dominate the final rounds, especially the sprint weekends, he might keep his championship hopes alive until the Abu Dhabi finale. But as of now, McLaren holds the upper hand in both pace and consistency.
Conclusion
Max Verstappen’s path to the 2025 F1 title is difficult, but not over. He will need perfect races and a bit of luck to catch Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the final five rounds. If Red Bull’s upgrades work and Verstappen finds his early-season speed again, the fight could go down to the last race. For now, McLaren’s young stars are leading the way, but in Formula 1, nothing is certain until the final flag waves.
Written by Kinjal Walantra