Max Verstappen started 2024 with seven victories in 10 grands prix so it looked as though the Red Bull driver would cruise towards another championship.
But McLaren then made major developments to its car, and the MCL38 is now the quickest package on the Formula 1 grid meaning Red Bull is no longer dominant.
The Woking squad now leads the constructors’ standings having won four times since Verstappen’s last victory, which came in June at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
There have been eight grands prix since then and in that time Verstappen’s championship lead has reduced from 69 points to 52 with Lando Norris as his nearest challenger.
The McLaren driver has won two of the last four races and is staging a late charge for his maiden world title – but this up-turn in form may have come too late.
So, what are the different championship permutations and when is the earliest someone can claim the title?
Which drivers can still win the F1 world championship in 2024?
The 2024 F1 season has six grands prix and three sprint races – Austin, Brazil and Qatar – remaining, which means there are 180 points left available.
Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, and Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 2nd position, congratulate each other in Parc Ferme
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
So, seven drivers can still mathematically become world champion in 2024 from Verstappen down to seventh-placed George Russell, who holds a 176-point deficit.
Russell’s Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton is 19 points ahead in sixth and the seven-time world champion trails fifth-placed Carlos Sainz by 16 points.
That means the Ferrari driver is 141 points behind Verstappen, so it is fair to say that a near-on miracle is needed for Sainz, Hamilton or Russell to become champion.
It gets tighter from fourth-placed onwards though: McLaren’s Oscar Piastri is 94 points behind Verstappen and is the highest-scoring driver of the last six rounds.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is third and trails Verstappen by 86 points, two years after he staged a failed title fight against the triple world champion.
Such a large gap means it is unlikely Leclerc will become champion this year, but 34 points ahead of him is Norris, who realistically is Verstappen’s only challenger.
How can Lando Norris become F1 world champion in 2024?
Norris must outscore Verstappen by an average of six points over the remaining six grands prix and three sprint races…
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