In Brazil, Max Verstappen achieved a performance that will be talked about for a long time. From 17th place on the starting grid, in difficult rainy conditions, Verstappen reminded everyone that even though he hadn’t won in his last ten Grand Prix, he was still the man to beat on the plateau.
This exceptional performance in some ways puts an end to the fight for the drivers’ championship. Mathematically, Lando Norris can still dream about it, but in practice, it is only a matter of time before Verstappen is crowned for a fourth year in a row. In fact, it could happen this weekend in Las Vegas. Several scenarios would allow the Red Bull driver to get his hands on the title, but the simplest thing to remember is that if he finishes ahead of Norris, regardless of position, the championship will be over.
The last three events of the season will not, however, be without challenges since the fight for the constructors’ championship is far from over. McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull can still win.
McLaren needs Piastri
At McLaren, we seemed well on our way to winning this title for the first time since 1998. But since the one-month break between the Singapore Grand Prix and that of the United States, it is Ferrari who have the wind in their hands. sails.
As for Norris, who had his eyes focused more on his personal situation, he experienced ups and downs, but managed to remain among the leaders. In the United States, he finished on the podium in the sprint race, but was excluded from the main race due to his penalty. Second in Mexico, he won the sprint race in Brazil before taking the lead, but the weather conditions made life difficult for him, finishing sixth.
If McLaren wants to ensure that it stays ahead of its rivals, it is Oscar Piastri who must give a little more. Before the United States Grand Prix, Piastri had collected eight top-5 finishes in a row, including six podiums. We saw little of him during the last three events, obtaining a fifth place and twice the eighth position.
We saw him make a few mistakes, especially during qualifying sessions. He was eliminated in Q1 in the sprint race in Austin and in the regular race in Mexico, which had not been the case before in the entire season.
There is no doubt that Piastri can pick up more points for his team as he has done for most of the season. With a total of 593 points, but only 36 points ahead of Ferrari, the success of the British team could well depend on a return to form from its Australian driver.
Developments that make a difference
At Ferrari, the latest developments on the single-seater have allowed the team to return to fight for victories after a more complicated portion in the middle of the season. The highlight was of course this double success in Austin with the victory of Charles Leclerc ahead of Carlos Sainz. The latter then won in Mexico with Leclerc on the third step of the podium.
The Scuderia is looking for a first constructors’ title since 2008. It would be an important achievement for both drivers, particularly for Sainz who will leave the team for Williams at the end of the campaign. We feel he is particularly motivated and determined to end his stay with Ferrari strong and to help the team achieve success. He will also want to bounce back after his trip in Brazil.
In short, despite its delay, the Scuderia has everything it takes to achieve a feat that we thought utopian for a good part of the season.
A first since 1983 for Red Bull?
There are two ways of looking at things at Red Bull. We can say that with a driver like Max Verstappen who can make the difference as he did in Brazil, everything is still possible.
Or we can say that with the performance of Sergio Perez, the task looks almost impossible for the team.
Red Bull is 49 points behind McLaren and the first place among the constructors… and this delay is attributable to Checo’s season, quite simply. There are a multitude of figures and statistics to illustrate its poor performance. I won’t go into nomenclature, but let’s just note that his last result in the top-5, including sprint races, dates back to the Miami Grand Prix… last May.
Red Bull could therefore find itself in a position where the team wins the drivers’ championship without finishing in the top-2 among the constructors. This would be the third time in history that such a scenario has occurred. The first time was in 1982, when Keke Rosberg won the title with Williams. Then, the following year, in 1983, Nelson Piquet got his hands on the title with Brabham.
Since his arrival at Red Bull in 2021, this would already be the second time that Perez cannot secure the constructors’ title for Red Bull while Verstappen wins the drivers’ title. Under contract for the next two seasons, can Red Bull really afford to keep the Mexican’s services?
But of course, this is all speculation. A team can, at most, amass 147 points by the end of the season. So with 49 points behind, it is not too late for Perez to save his season, his wheel, and allow Red Bull to go for the constructors’ title.
The stakes are therefore high for the end of the season, and we will therefore see you this weekend for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The qualifying session will be presented on RDS at midnight:30 on the night of Friday to Saturday, while the race will be at the same time on the night of Saturday to Sunday.
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