Norris, Piastri battle for F1 title as Verstappen closes in
The three-way fight for the Formula 1 title heads to Brazil this week with McLaren's two drivers still battling it out for the top spot in the standings.
Lando Norris used a win at the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks ago to reclaim the championship lead over Oscar Piastri for the first time in more than six months. But as the two battle each other for their first ever title, four-time defending champion Max Verstappen continues to chip into their lead.
Norris' win in Mexico City gave him a one-point advantage. There's no breathing room for the McLaren drivers, though, as Verstappen has cut a 104-point deficit from the end of August to only 36 points over the last five races.
It's the closest he's been to the leaders since May, and with five events remaining, McLaren's refusal to designate either Norris or Piastri as its No. 1 driver could very well allow Verstappen to win a fifth consecutive title.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has insisted he will allow his drivers to race fair and square to the finish, and told The Associated Press he absolutely will not choose one over the other.
“No chance,” Brown told the AP. “We're racers.”
There are a maximum of 116 points available to a driver over the season’s final four weekends — Sao Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi — with 100 up for grabs in the races and an additional 16 points available in sprint races this weekend in Brazil and then in Qatar. A driver can score 25 points with a race victory and another eight with a win in a sprint race.
Norris spent the off week at McLaren's headquarters working on the simulator.
“The Sao Paulo Grand Prix is always a fun weekend, and a great city to come to. It’s also a Sprint weekend, so I’ll be aiming to go for maximum points," Norris said. "I’m feeling good and looking forward to being back out on track. Bring it on.”
Piastri has slipped in form following a long run atop the standings. He's gone five straight races without a win, and four without a podium. The Australian has not finished in front of Norris or Verstappen since his Aug. 31 victory at the Dutch GP — a win that gave him a 34-point lead in the championship.
A seven-time winner this season, Piastri has trailed behind Norris on track with finishes the last four races of 20th, fourth, fifth and fifth. But he was off Norris' pace the last two events — by 0.283 seconds at the United States GP and 0.588 seconds in Mexico.
He's not given up hope, though.
“Brazil is a great opportunity to score some big points, especially with the Sprint race," Piastri said. “There is everything still to play for, and preparation for this weekend has been very productive. It’s a track that I enjoy with its elevation changes and the mix of long straights and tight sections.”
The one problem is that even though Red Bull has lagged behind McLaren all season, Verstappen is a three-time winner in Brazil and that includes the last two visits.
The Dutchman came from 17th last year to win at Interlagos in the wet and he considers the circuit among his favorite on the F1 calendar. His partner, Kelly Piquet, is from Brazil and the couple recently welcomed their first child together.
“Brazil is a special place for me, not only because of the incredible races and the great moments that we have had there, but also because my family in-laws are also from Brazil," he said. “It can rain heavily there so you can have quite crazy races, especially last year’s race where we won after qualifying 17th, which was an emotional win and an important moment in the championship.”
Verstappen must outscore both McLaren drivers by an average of nine points at each of the remaining four race weekends to win a fifth consecutive championship. To do it he will likely need to win the remaining four races, and with only a one-point difference between first and third place, he probably needs another team to wedge between Verstappen and the McLaren drivers.
The Las Vegas GP at the end of the month is the earliest a champion could mathematically be crowned but to do so Norris would need maximum points in Brazil and Las Vegas, with Piastri and Verstappen scoring zero points.
Since that's unlikely, the championship could be decided if any of the three drivers holds a 26-point lead in Qatar. If that doesn't happen, the fight will go to the Dec. 7 finale at Abu Dhabi.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing