Make your bets. Only three Grands Prix left before the end of the 2024 F1 season, and the world champion title could already be awarded this weekend. Before the 22nd Grand Prix of the season in Las Vegas, Sunday November 24, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) has a comfortable lead at the top of the driver standings.
Thanks to his victory at the last Grand Prix in Brazil, the Dutch driver killed almost all the suspense. He now has 62 points more than his runner-up, Lando Norris (McLaren), a gap wide enough for the Red Bull driver to consider a new world title this weekend. Franceinfo explains the different possible scenarios to you.
First scenario: Max Verstappen wins the race, the Dutch driver will then automatically be titled in Las Vegas. Second scenario: Max Verstappen is ahead of Lando Norris. For example, if Max Verstappen finishes 9th and Lando Norris 10th in the United States, the Dutchman will retain his crown and win his 4th world champion title.
De facto, other scenarios exist to see Max Verstappen titled on Sunday. If Lando Norris is ahead of him, but only one place separates them from fifth position, then the title could still be validated for “Super Max”. For example, in the case where the Briton ranks fifth and he ranks sixth, that will be enough. However, if Norris finishes second and he third, or if Norris finishes third and he fourth, then the fastest lap point will be necessary this time to secure the title.
The probability is therefore strong enough to see Max Verstappen capture the 75th edition of the Formula 1 world championship. If these conditions are not met in Las Vegas, the Dutchman could be crowned at the next Grand Prix in Qatar, the week following. On the Losail International Circuit, 34 points will be at stake with the sprint race then the Grand Prix on Sunday.
Even if Max Verstappen is crowned world champion in Las Vegas, he will remain at stake for the constructor's title during the last two Grands Prix of the season. After the race in the “entertainment capital”, McLaren will be able to have a maximum lead of 80 points over its pursuers like Ferrari and Red Bull. An insufficient total, since the teams will be able to acquire up to 103 units if they win all the points in the last events of the season.
