Max Verstappen admitted that he’ll need some good luck if he successfully defends his drivers’ title for the fourth consecutive time. He got just that in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, when his championship rivals, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, were both disqualified for failing post-race checks.
Now that he’s within arm’s reach of his fifth consecutive world championship, as he is level with Piastri and only 24 points adrift of Norris, the Red Bull driver must seize the opportunity in the last two races of the season, the Qatar Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He would certainly fancy his chances in these races, considering his favourable history, and it also helps that there’s another Sprint this weekend.
Meanwhile, the midfield battle in the constructors’ championship is getting tighter, with four teams within striking distance of fifth-seeded Williams (121 points).
Check out the latest Qatar Grand Prix 2025 updates, courtesy of SBOTOP.
Verstappen’s job is far from finished
After having been 104 points adrift as recently as before the Italian Grand Prix in September, Max Verstappen is suddenly back in the title picture, ready to fight the McLarens until the end. Red Bull also deserve plaudits for finding a way to make the RB21 consistently competitive.
Winning a fifth championship would put Verstappen in the pantheon of Formula 1 greats, as he would be level with the late Juan Manuel Fangio and two adrift of Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher in the titles count.
However, Verstappen’s efforts could all go for naught if he doesn’t produce another stellar performance this weekend. Pacesetter Lando Norris can still win the championship on Sunday, as he arrives in Lusail with a 24-point edge. With 58 points up for grabs, the McLaren star can win it all with a Top 7 finish in the Sprint and a victory in the main race, regardless of what Verstappen (or Oscar Piastri) manages.
Haas plan to build on their unexpected outcome
Haas were one of the biggest gainers in Las Vegas, as Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman finished ninth and 10th on the grid, respectively, after benefiting from McLaren’s double disqualification. Bearman has now scored in five consecutive races.
Having started P14 behind Ocon, Bearman navigated all the first-corner chaos to rise to P7, behind Oscar Piastri. He held onto that position until losing out to a recovering Charles Leclerc, but then ran eighth and looked on for a good score.
However, the rookie dropped several places before pitting, and Bearman couldn’t extract enough pace from the VF-25. He eventually had to give way to Ocon, who was on fresher tyres. Ocon ran for 27 laps on medium tyres before swapping to the hards. The Frenchman challenged Lewis Hamilton after passing Bearman, finishing 11th on the grid (before rising to ninth).
History
The Qatar Grand Prix is one of the newer races in the Formula 1 calendar. It was first held in November 2021 at the Lusail International Circuit, where Lewis Hamilton won as part of his final world championship push with Mercedes (which he ultimately fell short after the controversial ending to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix). The race did not take place in 2022 due to the FIFA World Cup in Lusail, but it rejoined the calendar in 2023 under a 10-year contract.
Since then, Max Verstappen has won the past two races, including his impressive drive last year, when he suffered a one-place grid drop from a provisional pole position start. On the other hand, Oscar Piastri has won the Sprint in Lusail for the past two years.
What are odds?
With his stroke of luck in the past few weeks, Max Verstappen is favoured in the Qatar Grand Prix 2025 odds. The Dutchman is pegged at 2.10 to win the Sprint and the main race on Sunday. On the other hand, Lando Norris is behind the Red Bull driver, valued at 2.50 on both Saturday and Sunday. Rounding out the Top 3 is former frontrunner, Oscar Piastri, who is at 7.00 and 9.00 on Saturday and Sunday. George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, and Charles Leclerc are the distant challengers for the Top 3 at 9.00, 13.00, and 17.00 on the main race.
Meanwhile, a double points finish for Haas seems like a long shot. Between Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon, Bearman will likely finish in the points at 251.00, level with Carlos Sainz Jr., while Ocon is nearly at the bottom, priced at a whopping 751.00 to win on Sunday.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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