Can Verstappen Secure the Title with His Current Winning Form?

Max Verstappen narrows the gap to Oscar Piastri with five rounds left, sitting 40 points off the championship lead. The title fight tightens as the calendar heads to decisive venues.

Lando Norris remains firmly in contention, trailing Piastri by 14 points. McLaren’s duo keeps the pressure on as margins shrink at the top.

Buoyed by his Austin victory, Verstappen says “the chance is there” for a fifth straight title. His recent form shifts momentum toward Red Bull.

Whether that pace sustains through the final stretch depends on execution. McLaren’s consistency means any misstep could swing the balance.

Verstappen’s record at the remaining tracks is imposing: five Mexico City wins, three in São Paulo, one in Las Vegas, two in Qatar, and four in Abu Dhabi.

Including last year’s São Paulo Sprint victory, his portfolio strengthens. Yet a clean Verstappen sweep still might not suffice if Piastri finishes second throughout.

Piastri’s returns at these venues are mixed. His Sprint victories have come in Qatar, and his best Mexico City finish is eighth.

Norris brings stronger recent markers: an Abu Dhabi Grand Prix win last year, the 2024 São Paulo Sprint, and second place in Mexico City last season.

Form since the summer break underlines the trend. Verstappen averages 23.8 points per race, compared to 12.4 for Piastri and 11.4 for Norris.

Average finishing positions tell a similar story. Verstappen sits at 3.3, with Norris at 5.9 and Piastri at 7.6, reflecting a race-day execution edge.

For McLaren, strategy discipline, tyre management, and qualifying sharpness are critical. Denying Verstappen track position will be central to limiting damage.

Red Bull’s cleaner weekends post-break have yielded efficient points hauls. Maintaining reliability and pit stop precision will be decisive.

Sprint sessions at selected events can add volatility. They also offer McLaren opportunities to disrupt Verstappen’s rhythm and chip away at momentum.

With Mexico City, São Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi ahead, marginal gains matter. Small setbacks could determine this tightly poised contest.

The title remains open, but Verstappen’s trajectory is upward. McLaren must convert opportunities to ensure this fight goes to the final laps in Abu Dhabi.

Visual Summary

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.