Lando Norris arrives in Qatar this weekend with the Formula One crown tantalisingly within his grasp.
.gif)
Here, AFP Sport assesses what the McLaren driver must do to extinguish the challenges of Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen and claim his maiden title in the penultimate round of the 2025 season.
STATE OF PLAY
Norris arrives in Doha leading both his teammate Piastri and Red Bull's four-time sitting champion Verstappen by 24 points.
There are 58 points to play for – eight for the winner of Saturday's sprint and 25 each for the winner of Sunday's race and the season-closer in Abu Dhabi next weekend.
CAN NORRIS SEAL THE TITLE IN SATURDAY'S SPRINT?
No. Even if he wins and Piastri and Verstappen finish out of the points that would lift the the Briton only 32 points clear, with 50 remaining.
HOW ABOUT AFTER SUNDAY'S GRAND PRIX?
- Norris will fly out of Qatar on Sunday night with the coveted crown in his suitcase if he outscores Piastri and Verstappen by two points over the weekend – giving him a 26pt cushion with only 25 left on the table – irrespective of whether he wins on Sunday or not.
- He will also be crowned champion if he wins Sunday's grand prix and outscores Piastri and Verstappen by just one point.
- If Piastri or Verstappen were then to win the season-closer with Norris pointless the Briton would claim the crown on countback.
- Arriving in Abu Dhabi, the Grand Prix win tally would then be eight for Norris, seven for Piastri and six for Verstappen
- Should Piastri win in Abu Dhabi and draw level with Norris's eight wins the Australian would lose out on second-place finishes – he has three to Norris's eight currently.
- If Verstappen won he would miss out with one race win less than Norris.
Given the stakes, McLaren will be praying after last weekend's disastrous double disqualification that the old maxim - what happens in Las Vegas stays in Vegas - holds true.