How Can Max Verstappen Secure Drivers' Championship Already In Qatar

Red Bull's Max Verstappen can win the 2023 World Drivers' Championship at the Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit.

The Dutch driver has already managed to win two F1 World Drivers' Championships, and in 2023, he's in the pole position to win another one. Realistically, Verstappen is not only in the pole position; he's more like leading the race by 50 seconds five laps before the end.

In other words, the Dutchman leads ahead of his teammate, Sergio Perez, by 177 points after the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, with only 180 points on offer in the last six races of the 2023 Formula One World Championship.

150 of those points come from possible race wins, six for the fastest laps in Grands Prix, and the remaining 24 for victories in three remaining sprint races. One of those will take place also in Qatar on Saturday, October 7th, 2023, and that's when Verstappen can clinch his third World Drivers' Championship.

Leading Perez, who is rumoured to be replaced by Daniel Ricciardo for the 2024 season, by 177 points, the Dutch driver has a simple task during the sprint race, after which the total number of points available will reduce to only 172.

Read also

Daniel Ricciardo May Replace Sergio Perez In Red Bull In 2024 Sources Suggest

That means, that if Verstappen scores up to five points less than Perez (in case of a tie, Verstappen would win the Championship as it's not possible for Perez to achieve more wins in 2023) he will become the Drivers' champion.

And with the points on offer during the sprint race being quite straightforward (8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1), Verstappen has quite an easy task, and that's not to finish more than five places behind his teammate Sergio Perez during Saturday's sprint at the Qatar Grand Prix.

If Perez wins, Verstappen needs at least three points, for the 6th place finish. The other scenarios include Perez finishing second, with Verstappen needed seventh place or better, and with the Mexican finishing third, all the current Drivers' Championship leader needs is one point for the eighth place.

There is also a scenario when Verstappen doesn't need to add any points, and that's when his teammate fails to finish on the podium in the sprint, meaning he would score five or fewer points during Saturday's sprint.

Read also

Norris Reflects On ‘Definitely Toughest Race’ He Has Ever Done