Although Max Verstappen’s defence for the championship title is still possible by minute chances, he still has a long shot at his title as he still must secure victory podiums in all his races and wish Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to drop points in the remaining three races.
Max Verstappen is currently 49- points adrift of the Championship leader Lando Norris and 25- points behind Oscar Piastri in second after the São Paulo Grand Prix, still fighting strongly for the championship title.
As per the latest statistics. to be precise, he scores about 23.8 points per weekend while Piastri and Norris are only getting 12.4 and 11.4 respectively.
Can Max Verstappen Still Win the F1 Championship?
If Max Verstappen maintains his pace in his upcoming races while Norris and Piastri drop in performance simultaneously, recovering in lead time, Verstappen still has a long shot at the title. Verstappen must not only win but make sure Piastri goes down even more. Lando Norris has indeed a lead, and his fate is still very much in his control.
McLaren cannot afford a mess up in the final stages of the season. With Red Bull and Verstappen going strong, the gap has already reduced quite a bit. Therefore, the McLaren duo must not only perform at their best but also prevent Verstappen from capturing podiums.
How are points distributed in F1?
- 3 regular race weekends = 3 × 25 = 75 points
- 2 sprint weekends = 2 × (25 + 8) = 66 points
Each race holds 25 points. An additional point is also rewarded for the fastest lap, only if the driver finishes in the top 10. Additional 8 points for the sprint race winner.
Standard Grand Prix
- Winner: 25 points
- Second place: 18 points
- Third place: 15 points
- Fourth to tenth place: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, and 1 point, respectively
Also read: F1 Standings: Winners and Losers & Updated Driver Rankings After Brazilian Grand Prix 2025
Sprint races
- Winner: 8 points
- Second to eighth place: 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point, respectively 2
| Rank | Driver/Team | Points |
| 1 | Lando Norris (McLaren) | 390 |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri (McLaren) | 366 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) | 341 |
How many races left this season?
- Las Vegas Grand Prix: November 20-22
- Qatar Grand Prix: November 28-30
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: December 5-7
Max Verstappen is just 49 points behind the pole holder Lando Norris. Statistically, each race closes the gap. Verstappen closes on an average of 23 points on his lead to Norris.
What Verstappen needs to do to keep himself in the fight.
Outperform both McLarens: Verstappen must consistently finish ahead of both Norris and Piastri in every remaining race. While his incredible drive from the pitlane to third in Sao Paulo was a strong performance, it was not enough to gain significant ground on the McLaren duo.
Capitalize on reliability issues: Verstappen and Red Bull need to take advantage of any potential mechanical issues or driver errors from McLaren. In the past, he has benefited from his rivals’ misfortunes, as highlighted by his improved standing after earlier McLaren struggles.
Optimize car performance: The team must ensure the RB21 is competitive on the remaining tracks. After a “shock Q1 exit” in Sao Paulo qualifying, Red Bull made changes to Verstappen’s car for the race that improved its performance, and this focus on continuous optimization will be critical.
Leverage experience: Having won four championships; Verstappen can draw on his experience to handle the pressure of a tight title fight. The pressure is on the McLaren drivers, who are seeking their first title, which could be an advantage for Verstappen.
Written by: Atin Kevin