After GP Mexico, what do Norris, Piastri and Max need to be champions?
After the Mexican Grand Prix, the F1 drivers’ championship has a new leader with Lando Norris. What do you need to be a champion?
MEXICO CITY.- Lando Norris swept away the competition in the Mexico City Grand Prixthere was no controversy that touched him, he took first place in the Drivers Championship with 116 points to be played and is now the first favorite to be crowned champion of the Formula 1.
But there are still four dates left in the very long F1 calendar, Brazil (November 9 with Sprint), Las Vegas (November 22), Qatar (November 30 with Sprint) and Abu Dhabi (December 7).
There are now only three drivers with a real chance of being champions, although mathematically, George Russell Mercedes is fourth in the fight, but is 99 points behind Norris and only 116 are available.
State of the Championship, after 20 of 24 GPs of the season
What does Lando Norris need to be F1 champion?
Britain’s Norris now leads by just one point over Piastri.
If Norris won three of the four remaining GPs and two Sprints and Piastri was second in them, the championship would be decided in Abu Dhabi, since the difference would be 23 points with 25 to be played.
Obviously, what between Norris and Piastri becomes a head-to-head, where the moment belongs to Lando, who has scored 64 points in the last four GPs to only 32 for the Australian.
One point is nothing, it is almost a technical tie and race by race there could be exchanges in the lead.
Norris could win the title before Abu Dhabi, only if Piastri did not score points in Brazil, Las Vegas or Qatar.
Three victories out of four remaining, with second places in a GP and two Sprints would give him the title.
What do you need Oscar Piastri to be champion?
The least mathematical answer to solve what Piastri requires to be champion would be to wake up and return to the podium, but since he is only one point behind Norris, he lives, practically a technical tie, but psychologically the Australian in car 81 is on the canvas.
Piastri had controlled the lead in the drivers’ table for 15 dates, since he took it in Saudi Arabia, but with four events remaining, he now sees Norris at the top.
Oscar Piastri necessarily needs to finish in a better position than his teammate in two of the four remaining Grands Prix.
Two wins in GP’s would give him 50 points, plus a pair of second places, 36 more and victories in the Sprint, 16 points. That would add 102 points and that would mean that Norris, winning two GPs, and being second in everything else would only have 100 and Piastri would be champion by one point.
Three victories out of four remaining, with second places in a GP and two Sprints would give him the title, too, since he would add 462 points and even if Norris won one and the Sprints with second places in three GPs, he would remain at 452.
What does Max Verstappen need to be champion?
The Dutchman Verstappen is 36 points down, so winning the remaining four GPs and two Sprints does not mathematically guarantee him the title.
Adding the 116 points and if any of the McLarens, Norris or Piastri were second in each race, they would add 86 and would be ahead by 7 or 6 points.
For this reason, Verstappen needs not only perfection, as he himself has said, but for both McLarens to be off the podium at least once each, while he wins everything. That is, almost impossible.
Verstappen requires unusual conditions, rain, yellow flags, despites or abandonments on the papaya side, in addition to being at the top in everything that remains.
Now, as we said, there are 116 points in dispute, after the Brazilian GP there will be 83 left; after Las Vegas, 58 and after Qatar, only 25.
If George Russell does not score 17 points or more than Norris and 16 or more than Piastri in Brazil, he will be mathematically out of contention.
