When Max Verstappen claimed 4 of the opening 5 races of this yr’s System 1 championship, it appeared all however sure that the flying Dutchman was going to win 4 world titles in a row.
Coming off a history-making 2023 when Crimson Bull received 21 of the 22 grands prix held that yr, F1’s established order was going to proceed for one more yr — or so we thought.
F1 returns this weekend and Verstappen holds a 52-point lead within the drivers’ championship, however that margin feels slender as Lando Norris and McLaren surge.
McLaren now leads the constructors’ championship and is odds-on to say that title for the primary time since 1998, whereas Norris has continued to supply masterful drivers worthy of a champion.
In the meantime, since Verstappen’s triumph in Barcelona on June 23 neither he or Crimson Bull have claimed a race win.
The triple-world champion heads into the ultimate quarter of the season with a real challenger and america Grand Prix is a race that Norris is highlighting as an enormous alternative for factors.
“It is an important race to begin the ultimate leg of the season after a number of weeks off,” he mentioned.
“It is also a dash weekend, which suggests there are extra factors on the desk.
“I’ve spent a while again on the [team facility] within the sim getting ready for the upcoming triple header. The subsequent two months are going to be extremely busy, but in addition thrilling.”
There’s a most of 180 factors to be received for a driver within the remaining six grands prix, and three dash races, with Norris needing to attain a median of 8.66 factors greater than Verstappen every weekend.
Whereas Norris is a real challenger, he’ll should be near-perfect and have Verstappen falter within the season’s last quarter.
Verstappen can end second in each grand prix and dash race and win his fourth drivers’ title.
In the meantime, McLaren’s Australian driver Oscar Piastri is looking extra success in what has been a sensational season for the second-year-driver.
Whereas mathematically nonetheless within the title race, third place is the best Piastri may realistically obtain.
Heading into the ultimate stretch of the season, Piastri is fourth within the championship simply eight factors adrift from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Piastri additionally has a serious function to play as McLaren attempt to win the constructors’ championship — which determines the prize cash for groups on the finish of the yr.
“It was good to have a number of weeks to recharge but in addition work with my engineers to organize for the subsequent few races,” Piastri mentioned.
“We have constructed up some unimaginable momentum now, so it is nearly persevering with to constantly execute good outcomes from our facet.”
