Championship chances: Who can still win the 2025 F1 title?
29 October 2025The 2025 F1 Championship has been a tale of two halves. The first was one of domination for McLaren. The second has been a story of the resurgence of Max Verstappen.
Such was McLaren's advantage that the team wrapped up the Constructors' Championship in Singapore, but they have been haemorrhaging points to Verstappen and Red Bull ever since.
With only one round left after Qatar – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – and 25 points still up for grabs, there are still drivers in the fight heading into the season finale.
After the Qatar Grand Prix, here’s how the 2025 F1 Drivers’ Championship standings look:
Pos | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 408 |
2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 396 |
3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 392 |
How many races are left?
Following the Qatar Grand Prix, only one event remains on the 2025 calendar:
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
How many points are up for grabs?
There are just 25 points left to be claimed when the chequered flag falls in Abu Dhabi.
Who’s got the momentum?
Momentum has swung from Lando to Oscar to Max and back again several times over already in 2025.
Following dominant wins in the Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix, Norris looked untouchable at the top of the standings before Vegas.
Now, after a double DSQ in America and a strategy blunder in Qatar for McLaren, it seems very much to be back with Verstappen, who has closed to just 12 points behind Lando.
With just one weekend remaining, all three contenders are separated by 16 points.
Can Lando Norris win the 2025 F1 championship?
For the first time in his F1 career, Lando Norris leads the Drivers’ Championship heading into the final round. After finishing as the runner-up in last year’s Drivers’ Championship, the Brit now finds himself in control of his own destiny.
On the weekends when it all comes together for Norris – as it has in Brazil and Mexico City – he’s unstoppable. If he can put another one of those together in the final race, it wouldn't matter what the others did.
Norris is in the best position he could possibly be in, but the margins are slim. Both Piastri and Max are close behind, so things could turn on their head very quickly.
Scenarios where Norris wins the championship
1. Finish on the podium
A podium finish in Abu Dhabi would secure Lando's first title in F1. If Norris can put together an unspectacular but clean weekend, he can easily take the title at the season finale. By finishing in the top three, he takes control of the narrative, and it becomes irrelevant where his two rivals finish.
Can Oscar Piastri win the 2025 F1 championship?
Trailing Norris by 16 points, Oscar Piastri remains in contention, but he is the outside chance heading to Abu Dhabi.
Qatar went a long way to reversing his downward trend since the summer break, but it still hasn't been enough to put him in the driving seat before the finale. Oscar will have to rely on misfortune for his team-mate if he's to take the title.
Scenarios where Piastri wins the championship
1. Win or finish second
Oscar has to finish in the top two to stand a chance at the 2025 F1 Drivers' Championship. Not only that, but Lando has to finish fifth or lower if he wins, and 10th or lower if he finishes second. Max would also have to finish fourth or lower if Oscar finished second, so there are plenty of variables at play.
Can Max Verstappen win the 2025 F1 championship?
After years of dominance, Max Verstappen finds himself as the hunter and not the hunted for the first time since the 2021 Abu Dhabi decider.
The reigning champion sits 12 points behind Norris, meaning the Dutchman, like Piastri, ideally needs a win to have a strong chance of taking his fifth title.
Scenarios where Verstappen wins the championship
1. Win the race, but definitely finish on the podium
Max needs to finish in the top three to be in with a shout of the 2025 Championship. If he wins, Norris needs to finish fourth or worse, which then becomes eighth or worse if he takes second, and ninth or worse if Verstappen is third.
Can George Russell win the 2025 F1 championship?
In short, no. George Russell is no longer in mathematical contention for the 2025 F1 title. A run of unremarkable weekends for George has put enough fresh air between himself and the top three to end Russell's chances.
Who will be crowned 2025 F1 World Champion?
With just 25 points remaining, it’s set to be a thrilling finale. Norris leads, Verstappen is 12 points behind and Piastri is a further four points back.
The Brit is in the enviable position, but Max has brought a gap of over 100 points down to 12 since the summer break.
With one round to go, the 2025 F1 Drivers’ Championship is anything but decided.
F1 2025 Championship FAQs
How many races are left in F1 2025?
There is one race left in the 2025 season: The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
How many points are still available?
There is a total of 25 points remaining in the 2025 season.
Who is leading the 2025 F1 Drivers’ Championship?
Lando Norris leads with 408 points, ahead of Max Verstappen (396), Oscar Piastri (392) and George Russell (309).
Can Lando Norris still win the 2025 F1 championship?
Yes. He’s leading and only needs to finish on the podium in Abu Dhabi to seal the title.
Can Oscar Piastri win the championship?
Absolutely. He’s 16 points behind Norris and could take it if the others are unlucky in the desert.
Can Max Verstappen still win the championship?
Yes, but he needs Lando to have a bad weekend to have a realistic shot at it.
Can George Russell win the championship?
Mathematically, George Russell can no longer win the 2025 F1 Championship. He is now out of the running for the 2025 Drivers' title.
Who will win the 2025 F1 championship?
It’s too close to call! It's going to be a tense final race in Abu Dhabi with three drivers still in the running!
