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HOTLINE: Max Verstappen has been dominating the Formula One field for the past four years. Since the 2021 season, he already won three World Drivers’ Championships while helping his team, Red Bull Racing, win two consecutive Constructors’ titles. His 2022 run saw him win 15 out of 22 races, while he had 19 remarkable race wins last year, with teammate Sergio Perez also winning 2.
However, this year is quite different for Max and RBR, as the field has evidently become more competitive than last year. The current race for the trophy almost mirrors the same fight for the 2021 title between Verstappen and 7-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. McLaren’s Lando Norris is having his best year as an F1 driver and is seriously contending for the Drivers’ Championship.
Verstappen’s at 392 points. Norris is at 331. With three races to go, can Max go all the way, or will Lando manage to beat the odds and dethrone the champ?
The Red Bull Dynasty with Verstappen
RBR is no stranger to winning. The team’s initial success during the Sebastian Vettel era (2010-2013) saw them achieve four Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships. However, the team greatly struggled during the turbo-hybrid era, which Mercedes then dominated.
The tables started to turn in RBR’s favour during the 2021 season when the team was able to compete with Mercedes after engine manufacturer Honda made upgrades to the RB16 chassis in an effort to catch up with the Silver Arrows in their last F1 season.
For the first time since joining RBR from Toro Rosso (now Visa RB) and battling inconsistent machinery and operational missteps, Verstappen was provided with a reliable car that could compete and win races. Honda’s engine improvements and RBR’s aerodynamics mastery provided a robust foundation for the Dutchman, overcoming the Mercedes’ W12 chassis to get back on top of the F1 mountain.
Despite some controversies surrounding his newfound dominance, Verstappen’s rise to F1 greatness is a proper display of how giving a world-class driver a winning car can go a long way. Max has constantly broken records during the 2022 to 2023 season, consistently rising to the occasion despite setbacks.
The Current Situation
The 2024 F1 season is nothing short of amazing, providing on- and off-grid drama that makes races more thrilling. Unlike the previous two years, several names have won a Grand Prix this year, including Verstappen, Norris, Carlos Sainz Jr., Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Hamilton, and George Russel. This made the Drivers’ standings closer than expected, with Max only leading by 61 points down the wire.
In fact, before the Sao Paulo Grand Prix earlier this month, Verstappen’s last GP win was at the Spanish Grand Prix in June. Meanwhile, Norris has won three races this year while also consistently achieving higher places in the classification, allowing him to keep Max within striking distance.
Leclerc was actually in contention for the title before the Sau Paulo GP, but his 5th-place finish in that race made it a two-way fight on the final stretch of the season.
Overview of the Final Grand Prix Races
Make no mistake—Verstappen and Norris are friends. But that friendship has already been tested a lot this year. With Lando being a serious contender for the title, there is no question why Max has shown his aggressive side on the track, leading to several wheel-to-wheel clashes that saw them get penalties.
Norris still has a chance for that title, so it will not be surprising if their combative on-track manoeuvres continue on the streets of Vegas, the flowing curves of Lusail, and the bright lights of Yas Marina.
Las Vegas GP
The much-anticipated debut of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in the 2023 F1 calendar didn’t disappoint, instantly becoming one of the most iconic events in F1 history. The street circuit winds through the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, surrounded by the city’s neon lights and world-famous landmarks. It features long straights and high-speed sections, demanding optimal precision from the drivers.
The RBR duo of Verstappen and Perez made a strong statement during the race, preventing Leclerc from turning his pole into a win. The two were able to exploit the circuit’s layout, particularly on long straights and DRS zones, allowing for a double podium for RBR. Meanwhile, Norris was only able to complete two laps as he crashed on lap three when he lost control of the car and hit the wall hard.
Verstappen can use the momentum he gained from a remarkable 17th-to-1st performance in the last race to end the title contention in a few days (as of writing), as winning in Sin City can guarantee his fourth-straight Drivers’ championship.
Qatar GP
Should the title race continue after the 50-lap Vegas GP, fans will turn their eyes to Lusail for the third edition of the Qatar GP. Verstappen provided a masterful performance last year, leading the pack since the start of the race and never looked back. The McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri finished 2nd and 3rd for a double podium after starting in PG and P10, respectively.
This season’s penultimate race will be pivotal for both Max and Lando, especially if the title race is still on at that point. Verstappen has already shown that he can thrive on this track; it’s up to the McLaren driver to have a solid showing and potentially tip the scales in an unpredictable direction.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
The winding track of Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi has been home to the final race of the season since 2009, and it has become Verstappen’s fortress since 2020. Last year, Verstappen also showed why he is the 2023 champion, gradually increasing his time gap towards the second placer and setting the second-largest win margin of the circuit at 17.993 seconds.
Should Norris be able to extend the fight until the last race of the season, Yas Marina will once again be the determining stage for the title. Looking at past results, Verstappen’s clinical precision in this track is why he is clearly the favourite for the upcoming Abu Dhabi GP. But if Norris and McLaren can match RBR’s pace, then there is still the possibility of him snatching the title from Max in the final race of the year.
Conclusion
If we look at how these two drivers performed this year and on the upcoming tracks in previous years, Verstappen might secure the trophy in the Vegas GP. He is a safe bet to win the title at this point, but it will not come as a surprise if Norris and McLaren don’t bow out of the competition without a fight.
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