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The Formula One season resumes with this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, the first of 10 races that remain in this year’s calendar.
Assuming Max Verstappen’s current lead is unassailable, who is likely to end up as best of the rest?
The leading contenders include Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz or Lewis Hamilton.
Red Bull’s Verstappen has a 78-point championship lead over his closest challenger, McLaren’s Lando Norris, with 10 races to go this season, starting at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix.
Verstappen is in a very strong position to claim a fourth world title, even though he has not won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix in June. Norris would have to claw back an average of nearly eight points a race from now on to beat him.
On McLaren’s current form, that’s possible, but it’s not something Norris has looked like doing so far, partly through his own errors and partly through Verstappen’s outstanding consistency.
Norris is 22 points ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, 32 in front of his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, 37 in front of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and 49 ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. What makes this second half of the season so interesting — from a drivers’ and constructors’ championship point of view — is the rate of scoring of all these drivers.
In the five races from Spain to the summer break after Belgium, the highest scoring driver was Hamilton, who took 95 points, including wins in Britain and Belgium. Piastri was not too far behind with 86 and Verstappen on 83 points.
Norris (68), Sainz (54) and Leclerc (39) wrap up that table. Ferrari would need a significant turnaround in form for Leclerc and Sainz to feature.
However, Piastri and Hamilton are obviously a threat to Norris if that rate continues.
The constructors’ title is wide open, with McLaren only 42 points behind Red Bull and Sergio Perez’s form causing the world champions problems.
If Perez does not up his game, his seat remains vulnerable despite Red Bull’s announcement after Belgium that he would continue into the second part of the season.
Mercedes are fourth, 100 points behind McLaren and that is quite a margin to make up.
After winning three of the last four races, they look eminently capable of closing the 79-point gap to Ferrari for third overall.
Out of 24 races this season, seven are held on street circuits — Saudi Arabia, Australia, Monaco, Canada, Azerbaijan, Singapore and Las Vegas. — BBC.
Online Reporter