How Lando Norris can win the 2025 F1 title in Qatar GP

Lando Norris could win the Formula 1 title on Sunday in the main race of the Qatar Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the 2025 season.

Having finished third in the sprint, Norris will go into the race as the title favourite with 396 points to his name. Team-mate Oscar Piastri, who won the sprint, has collected 374 points so far, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen on 371 after taking fourth place on Saturday.

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This makes the equation rather simple: if Norris is outscored by either driver on Sunday, the title battle will go down to the wire in Abu Dhabi.

For Norris to win the title as early as tomorrow, he needs to maintain his advantage on Verstappen; if they go into the final round with a 25-point difference, Norris will be out of reach, having secured one more victory and three more second places in the event of a tie-breaker.

The Briton also needs to bring the gap to Piastri from 22 points to 26 points; they are level on race wins, so the Australian would be ahead in that metric if he were to triumph in Abu Dhabi and create a tied result.

In other words, if Piastri finishes in the top nine positions, Norris needs to be at least two positions ahead – or one place ahead if Piastri is second.

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

In the unlikely event that none of those drivers scores points on Sunday, only Piastri will remain in contention alongside Norris.

Lando Norris will win 2025 F1 title in Qatar if...

1st

2nd or lower

2nd or lower

2nd

4th or lower

3rd or lower

3rd

5th or lower

4th or lower

4th

6th or lower

5th or lower

5th

7th or lower

6th or lower

6th

8th or lower

7th or lower

7th

9th or lower

8th or lower

8th

11th or lower

9th or lower

If Norris is out of the top 8, how can Piastri and Verstappen remain in contention?

Piastri will be in contention for the title in Abu Dhabi no matter what If Norris finishes 9th, Verstappen needs 8th or better If Norris finishes 10th, Verstappen needs 9th or better If Norris finishes 11th or lower, Verstappen needs 10th or better

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