Max Verstappen missed the chance to claim his second F1 Drivers Championship after finishing eighth in the Singapore Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s driver will have another chance to win back-to-back titles as well this weekend. In Japan, he begins on pole.
The Dutchman’s lead is so commanding that only Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez can theoretically beat him with five races of the season remaining.
Verstappen is currently topping the drivers’ standings with 341 points – 104 clear of Leclerc in second, and a further two ahead of Perez.
This stage is the most competitive in the season. Verstappen will likely win it all in Japan.
But how can he do it?
One of the greatest title comebacks can be made in Formula 1Is there any hope in history for his rivals talkSPORT.com takes a look…
F1 title permutations
To win the championship, Verstappen must be 112 points clear of his closest competitor after the race at Suzuka.
This would make him the third driver after Sebastian Vettel (2011) (2001/2004), and Michael Schumacher (2004) to take the title. Four races remain in the season.
If Verstappen crosses that chequered flag first next week, he will again be crowned champion if Leclerc finishes second.
Yet should the 25-year-old also claim the fastest lap alongside his win then he will retain his title regardless of the Ferrari star’s result.
Including Japan, there are a maximum of 138 points up for grabs factoring in the 26 awarded for race wins with the fastest lap bonus – as well as the additional eight for victory in next month’s sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Leclerc is also trailing Verstappen 11-3 in race wins. If he finishes the season on points, he won’t win the title.
Perez and the Monegasque Man can each keep their championship fight going at most for another week until the USA, if they finish ahead Verstappen.
Verstappen would also finish outside the top six. Not Give him the 112 point advantage over Leclerc that is all he needs to win in Japan.
F1 history: Biggest title retakes
John Surtees 1964: 20 Points behind with five races left (points system 9-6-4-3-2-1
James Hunt 1976: 17 points back with three races to go (points systems: 9-6-4-2-3)
Nelson Piquet 1983 – 14 points behind, with three races left (points system: 9-4-3-2-1)
Alain Prost 1986 – 11 points behind, with two races left (points system 9-6-4-3-1)
Kimi Raikkonen 2007: 17 Points behind, with two races left (points system 10-8-6-5-4-3-3)
Sebastian Vettel 2010: 31 points behind with six races to go (points system: 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1)
F1 title permutations
Verstappen requires at least eight more points than Leclerc to win the race in Suzuka. Perez only needs six.
- Verstappen is second in fastest lap He will be champ if Leclerc finishes fifth or lower – Perez finishes fourth or lower
- Verstappen finishes 2nd without the fastest lap: He will be champ if Leclerc finishes lower than fifth or finishes fifth without bonus point – Perez finishes lower than fourth or finishes fourth without bonus point
- Verstappen finishes in third place with the fastest lap: Leclerc has to finish fifth or higher to deny him – Perez fourth
- Verstappen finishes in third place without the fastest lap: Leclerc has to finish sixth or higher to deny him – Perez fifth
- Verstappen finishes fourth: Leclerc needs to finish at least seventh – Perez finishes sixth or seventh with bonus point
- Verstappen finishes fifth: Leclerc would have to finish no lower than eighth – Perez seventh
- Verstappen finishes sixth: Leclerc would have to finish outside the points – Perez can extend title race by finishing eighth or ninth with bonus point
