Despite his disqualification, Lando Norris could still win the world championship title next weekend in Qatar – here’s what the McLaren driver needs to achieve to do so
The disqualification in Las Vegas was a bitter setback, especially for Lando Norris: The McLaren star not only lost his second place, but also 18 championship points. This reduced his lead over teammate Oscar Piastri and defending champion Max Verstappen from 42 points to “only” 24 points.
Norris currently has 390 points in the drivers’ championship, while Piastri and Verstappen each have 366 points. Without the disqualification, the Brit would have been virtually certain to win the world championship. Now everything is up for grabs. Nevertheless, Norris can still clinch his first title this coming weekend.
The math seems simple at first glance: because a maximum of 25 points are awarded for a win in the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Norris would need a lead of at least 26 points after the Qatar Grand Prix to become world champion ahead of schedule.
Why a 25-point lead is not enough
A 25-point lead over Piastri would not be enough, as both McLaren drivers have won seven races each this season. If Piastri were to win in Abu Dhabi and Norris were to come away empty-handed, the McLaren drivers would be level on points, but Piastri would have one more win – and would therefore take the world championship crown.
And Verstappen? The Red Bull driver currently has six wins this season. In the final sprint, he could still draw level or even get one more win if he triumphs in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Norris would have more second places to his name, so Verstappen would have to win both races to take the title on equal points.
Put simply, Norris must score at least two points more than Piastri and Verstappen next weekend. However, the calculation is not quite so straightforward, as the Qatar Grand Prix will feature another sprint race on Saturday, meaning additional points will be awarded.
A victory in Qatar alone would not guarantee the title
A victory on Sunday alone would not be enough for Norris to secure the title, because although the Brit would get 25 points, his rivals could score as many as 26 points with a second place on Saturday and a victory in the sprint, further reducing the gap to the top of the standings.
In addition to winning the race, the championship leader would have to finish at least sixth in the sprint to collect three more points and extend his lead to at least 26 points. That would also be the only way for Norris to win the world championship title in Qatar on his own.
Second place on Sunday would no longer be enough for the McLaren driver to become world champion, even if he were to win Saturday’s sprint. In that case, the Briton would only collect a total of 26 points, while Piastri or Verstappen could score up to 32 points with a race win and second place in the sprint.
Verstappen and Piastri are under pressure
If the Briton does not win Sunday’s race, he would be dependent on the results of his rivals in terms of an early World Championship decision. Should Piastri or Verstappen win the Qatar Grand Prix and finish at least seventh in the sprint, the decision would remain open until the final race in Abu Dhabi.
Due to the sprint weekend, there are numerous scenarios in which Norris could become this year’s world champion ahead of schedule. The simplest option: if the 26-year-old Briton finishes both Saturday’s sprint and Sunday’s race ahead of his rivals, the world championship title will be his for the taking.
