As Formula One returns to the big stage this weekend for the Mexican GP, the battle for the 2024 Drivers Championship continues. With only 5 races remaining the title fight is getting ever closer to an end but who is most likely to take victory and be crowned 2024 Champion, Lando Norris or Max Verstappen?
Max Verstappen (left) and Lando Norris (right) Image Credit – PlanetF1.com
Verstappen started the season very strong, winning 7 out of the first 10 races. This initial sum of points has helped Max have an advantage over championship rival Lando Norris, who took his first win in Miami back in May.
Verstappen has won a total of 7 races this year compared to Norris who has won 3. With Red Bull taking a dip in performance over the last few months and McLaren excelling, Verstappen has not stood on the top step of a main race podium since the Spanish Grand Prix in June. During this time McLaren have managed to secure 4 race wins and overtake Red Bull in the constructors championship, meanwhile Lando has closed the gap to Max in the drivers title battle.
Verstappen currently sits on 354 points at the top of the standings with Norris behind on 297.
For Lando to successfully claim his first world championship he has a lot of work to do until the final race in December. Norris must outscore Verstappen by around 12 points each race weekend to take the championship lead – which will prove rather difficult.
“[Lando] has got the speed, the team have certainly got a great car” – Martin Brundle to Sky Sports F1
Despite the odds not being in his favour, faith remains intact as the likes of Martin Brundle believe Norris to be capable of challenging Verstappen right until the very end.
However, Norris’ chances of winning are very slim and “needs Max to have contact or reliability issues” in the remaining 6 races, Brundle added.
Image Credit – Skysports.com
Pre – COTA
However, before the US Grand Prix the picture looked different.
Before Charles Leclerc’s win in COTA, even if Lando Norris did manage to win every race that remain of the season with Verstappen following in second, Norris still wouldn’t be able to win the championship. This is as a result of Daniel Ricciardo being a vital team player for Red Bull and taking the bonus point for fastest lap back in Singapore last month. Had Norris claimed this point and went on to win all of the following 6 grand prix as well as the 3 sprint races. Max and Lando would be tied on points at the end of the year.
Unfortunately for Norris this plan hasn’t worked out in his favour as Verstappen claimed top spot and top points in last week’s sprint and Leclerc taking the P1 on Sunday in Texas.
Many fans hope for the fight to be stretched out as long as possible to the final race in Abu Dhabi on December 8th however, the title could be won as soon as Brazil on November 3rd by Max Verstappen. This time will prove to be exciting for F1 as the championship fully takes shape and the winner becoming clearer as they race in Mexico City and then in Sao Paulo to conclude the triple header.
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen will battle hard from now until December, their teams doing all they can to support but as seen many times before anything can happen in this sport and one race can change everything. All is on the line for the two drivers who are desperate to win, but who will it be? Will Lando claim his first championship or is Max on course to welcome his fourth?
Image Credit – Skysports.com
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