Three rounds stay within the 2025 Method 1 world championship, which is able to resolve who turns into the drivers’ world champion, plus a couple of different key honours.
This weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix kicks off a triple-header finale, adopted by the Qatar GP (plus a dash race) after which the season nearer in Abu Dhabi. With a lot to play for, and little doubt some surprises nonetheless in retailer, right here’s what our writers predict from the ultimate rounds of the season.
Who will win the F1 drivers’ world title?
Ed Hardy: Lando Norris is doing every little thing an individual would need from a title challenger. The McLaren driver has simply discovered that further step in current races, whereas Oscar Piastri has gone the opposite means. Even when the Briton was to retire in Vegas, it’s uncertain that his team-mate would take full benefit given his present guise.
Owen Bellwood: If Norris can overcome a run of unhealthy outcomes to remodel his championship, why can’t Piastri? The Australian had a torrid time not too long ago, and can little doubt have spent the previous weeks away from the monitor engaged on his mindset to return again all weapons blazing. Ought to he handle this, he has the abilities to overturn the 36-point poor he faces to his team-mate.
Ronald Vording: Norris has already taken two of the three key steps after his engine failure in Zandvoort. Mentally, he seems stronger than earlier than, with Q3 in Brazil because the clearest instance. The Briton didn’t have a banker lap on the board, and whereas that as a rule went fallacious previously, he now secured pole. Secondly, he feels way more comfy with the entrance of the automobile in comparison with earlier this 12 months, which interprets into extra constant performances. The third remaining variable: is he calm sufficient to complete it off? It is the largest problem of his F1 profession to date, however together with his present kind, he ought to have the ability to get the job performed.
Ben Vinel: All of it factors to Norris. He’s 24 factors forward, he’s received the momentum, and he appears to be like extra assured than ever. Norris has outscored McLaren team-mate Piastri by 58 factors over the most recent six rounds, and Max Verstappen now appears to be too far to mount a reputable problem, until one thing surprising occurs.
Yuki Tsunoda, Purple Bull Racing Group
Photograph by: Mark Thompson – Getty Pictures
One daring prediction for the triple-header
EH: Yuki Tsunoda to face on the rostrum – although, I admit, it’s extra of a hope than a prediction. The 25-year-old is only a a lot better driver than his quick Purple Bull tenure has proven and it’s unhappy to see, as a result of till then he was a really strong F1 racer on the sister squad. It’d be good for him to lastly declare a podium earlier than he seemingly leaves on the finish of 2025, giving Japanese followers one thing to have fun earlier than their subsequent driver comes alongside.
OB: Lewis Hamilton will make the rostrum for Ferrari in one of many remaining three races – my cash is on Las Vegas, however any of the remaining races will do. This may be wishful considering, however the Brit has historical past in Sin Metropolis, and final 12 months Ferrari took a robust third- and fourth-place end – so it’s not past the realms of chance.
RV: Andrea Kimi Antonelli to take his maiden F1 win. Granted: this may occasionally realistically be a prediction that must be pushed to 2026, however why not be slightly daring? If Mercedes – identical to final 12 months – is the benchmark within the comparatively cool Las Vegas situations, then Antonelli can’t be dominated out. Sure, George Russell remains to be the favorite given his expertise, however Antonelli has undoubtedly proven flashes of his immense expertise. At Interlagos he additionally demonstrated notable maturity, each by staying off the moist kerbs in the course of the dash and by holding off the charging Verstappen on Sunday. So is the younger Italian prepared for the massive one?
BV: In all honesty, I don’t consider a lot out of the extraordinary will occur throughout these final three races, so I’ll go together with Piastri failing to achieve the rostrum in all three Sunday races. This is able to be shocking from this 12 months’s seven-time grand prix winner, however Piastri hasn’t seemed too convincing of late, and I consider this prediction is… not unlikely.
Who will end second within the F1 constructors’ world championship?
EH: It’s arduous to see Mercedes throwing away its 32-point benefit over Purple Bull within the remaining races. Though Verstappen has each probability to win once more this 12 months, the Austrian outfit simply isn’t getting something from the second automobile whereas Mercedes has each drivers scoring. Undecided fourth-placed Ferrari is even value speaking about fairly frankly.
OB: Purple Bull is flying with Verstappen, however with the intention to catch and cross Mercedes it’s going to take a gargantuan effort from the Dutchman and a dramatic flip in fortunes for team-mate Tsunoda. I don’t see that taking place, so I feel second-place is all however safe for Mercedes at this level within the season.
Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
RV: Mercedes. Purple Bull Racing – or Max Verstappen Racing, as Russell jokingly put it – has made main progress since Monza, however Mercedes’ present buffer must be sufficient. Much more so as a result of Las Vegas gives one other monitor, or a minimum of climate situations, that ought to swimsuit them. If Russell and Antonelli keep away from foolish errors, it must be sufficient. Verstappen is scoring the factors nearly single-handedly at Purple Bull, whereas Mercedes – if Antonelli continues his present trajectory – has two drivers able to scoring. Ferrari has stopped creating its 2025 automobile sooner than each Mercedes and Purple Bull, making second place unlikely.
BV: One other not-particularly-bold take, however I’ll decide Mercedes. They now have a snug buffer on Purple Bull and Ferrari, and Antonelli’s kind has been ramping up. Including the truth that they’re anticipated to carry out strongly in Las Vegas, they need to have the ability to see this by – however no shock could be dominated out.
Who will end sixth within the F1 constructors’ world championship?
EH: Haas. It has a 12-point deficit to sixth-placed Racing Bulls, which is rather a lot with so few races left, however the American squad is on an upward trajectory. It has scored factors within the final 4 grands prix and is able to persevering with that run with two sturdy drivers – it doesn’t take a lot for the state of affairs to flip.
OB: My head says sixth place is secure with the sturdy pairing of Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, however current outcomes say that this won’t be fairly so positive. Haas is popping issues round, and Oliver Bearman is properly on his method to difficult Hadjar for the crown of most spectacular rookie this 12 months. So, fingers crossed, this transformation in fortunes for the American outfit is sufficient to make up the 12 factors it’s presently missing.
RV: The battle for sixth within the constructors’ championship might actually go in any course. Another standout consequence from Hadjar or Lawson would seemingly put Racing Bulls in a secure place, and given the seasons these drivers (particularly Hadjar) have had, that can’t be dominated out. Nonetheless, I would put my cash on Haas. With the Austin improve, the American crew has made a big step, whereas most rivals had lengthy shifted their focus to 2026. The bundle works as anticipated and is proving to be a robust weapon – significantly within the palms of Bearman – making a 12-point hole removed from unattainable to overturn.
BV: That’s the trickiest one. There have been so many swings in efficiency as this battle unfolded that no one can inform what’s going to occur. Everybody right here has wager on Haas, so I’ll diverge and predict Racing Bulls will cling on. Momentum could also be with Haas with its current improve, however Racing Bulls has had higher kind total this 12 months and Lawson has picked himself up after his demotion from Purple Bull. Nonetheless, it will likely be a good one, and you’ll’t rule out Aston Martin if Fernando Alonso places in a few outstanding drives.
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