Three more races. Three drivers are in competition. One shot at glory with the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.
After 21 rounds of ups and downs and the inevitable ups and downs, the 2025 drivers’ title race is heading towards its climax – and it’s all still up for grabs.
Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen all race ahead of a hat-trick of Grand Prix wins. But who will come out on top?
Before our champions get back on the track, ESPN gives you the quick lowdown on a battle for the ages and where and why the championship could be won.
What is the current ranking?
After a perfect weekend in Sao Paulo, Norris has a 24-point lead over McLaren team-mate Piastri, with both young drivers bidding for their first Formula 1 title.
Red Bull Four-time world champion Verstappen at Red Bull trails by 25 points.
Mercedes’ George Russell is fourth, but far behind in achieving any sporting goal of winning the title.
Who is in the best shape?
While Verstappen won three out of four before the Mexico City Grand Prix, the answer to that question now is undoubtedly Norris.
Norris, after struggling with his McLaren compared to his team-mate earlier in the season, claimed pole position and race wins in successive rounds – with the Sprint winning at Interlagos – quickly moving from hunter to pursuer.
On the other hand, Piastri’s figure was on the slide. The Australian was the favorite for his maiden title after winning the Dutch Grand Prix – which, along with Norris’ DNF, gave him a 34-point lead – but he has yet to stand on top since then, not even managing to get on the podium in the final four rounds.
That has put Norris in the driver’s seat for this title fight.
When is the closest possible time to winning the title?
There are a maximum of 83 points available to a driver in the three Grands Prix (25 points for a win) and one Sprint (eight points) remaining – 58 of which will still be up for grabs after the next race in Las Vegas.
That means Norris – even with a perfect weekend in which none of his rivals scored – will be unable to clinch the championship on the famous Strip, where he can only extend his lead to a maximum of 49 points.
So, the closest chance of winning the title would be in Qatar, where the driver would need to have a gap of at least 26 points over the man next in second place.
Four runner-up finishes and a sprint finish for Norris will be enough to secure the win, while Piastri and especially Verstappen are counting on the Briton to run into trouble somewhere.
Where and when are the remaining races?
Las Vegas Grand Prix
Points to play for
25
Full schedule
Friday 21 November: Training 1 00:30-01:30 GMT, Training 2 04:00-05:00 GMT
Saturday 22 November: Practice 3 00:30-01:30 GMT Qualifying: 04:00-05:00 GMT
Sunday 23 November: Race 04:00
Qatar Grand Prix
Points to play for
33
Full schedule
Friday 28 November: First Practice 13:30 – 14:30 GMT, Sprint Qualifying 17:30 – 18:14 GMT
Saturday 29 November: Sprint 14:00-15:00 GMT, qualifying 18:00-19:00 GMT
Sunday 30 November: Race at 16:00 GMT
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Points to play for
25
Full schedule
Friday 5 December: Practice 1 09:30-10:30 GMT, Practice 2 13:00-14:00 GMT
Saturday 6 December: Third Practice 10:30 – 11:30 GMT Qualifying: 14:00 – 15:00 GMT
Sunday 7 December: Race at 1:00 p.m
What will you be playing for in the final rounds?
Aside from the drivers’ title battle – with the constructors’ team already finished by McLaren – the most fascinating battle for the final three-header of racing is between powerhouses Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.
The three teams are competing for second place in the team standings, which is crucial for prize money and momentum.
However, the further a team finishes in the championship, the more wind tunnel time they are allowed to work on next season’s car. And with a huge rules update coming for 2026, finishing fourth instead of second may not be the worst thing in the world.
After a fantastic weekend in Sao Paulo, Mercedes finished second with 398 points, 30 points behind Verstappen’s Red Bull.
After the disastrous double DNF, Ferrari sits in fourth place with 362 points.
