The 2025 Formula 1 World Championship shifted dramatically after McLaren scored zero points in Las Vegas due to a technical infringement. The title fight tightened when it seemed already settled. Only Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain, two venues capable of changing everything. Qatar will award 33 points across the sprint and the main race. Abu Dhabi will offer 25 points in the finale, while Max Verstappen has endured an irregular season.
He started as the third contender behind Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Norris led until Saudi Arabia. Then Piastri took over. The Australian lost momentum, and Norris regained the lead in Mexico. Verstappen seemed out of the fight at mid-season. At Silverstone, he trailed Piastri by 69 points. The real shock came in Zandvoort, where he fell 104 points behind. With the title far away, he launched a fierce comeback.
Norris still leads, but Verstappen arrives with historic momentum
According to Mundo Deportivo, eight Grands Prix later, Verstappen sits just 24 points behind Norris. He already caught Piastri. His surge resembles 2022, when he overturned a 46-point deficit to Leclerc after Australia. He finished that year with a 146-point advantage over the Monegasque driver.
Max Verstappen aun tiene posibilidad de ganar el campeonato este año, aquí una tabla que explica lo que se necesita para que Super Max se corone una vez más 🔥🦁#F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/sxIrgGtpLh
— Marco Martínez (@marcomtzmx_) November 23, 2025
History favors Verstappen in Qatar. He won in 2023 from pole and again in 2024 despite a penalty. Hamilton claimed victory in 2021. McLaren showed strong pace in the 2024 sprint with a Piastri-Norris one-two. In the race, Piastri finished third and Norris tenth. That pattern shows McLaren understands Lusail well.
Abu Dhabi also suits the Dutchman. He has four wins there between 2020 and 2023, second only to Hamilton. However, Norris won in 2024. Verstappen finished sixth after a penalty for a clash with Piastri.
Now Norris controls his own destiny. He has a 24-point cushion, but he cannot afford mistakes. McLaren cannot slip either. The margin is thin. One bad sprint or one poor pit stop could open the door for the three-time champion. Verstappen arrives inspired, his pace keeps rising, and his ability to dominate under pressure is well-known.
