What does Norris need to do to catch and beat Verstappen?
- Published
Max Verstappen took a huge step towards a fourth world title with a brilliant victory in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver climbed from 17th on the grid to secure one of the greatest wins of his career.
Title rival Lando Norris finished sixth in his McLaren to slip 62 points adrift of Verstappen with 86 still available.
When and where are the remaining three grands prix?
22-24 November: Las Vegas Grand Prix
29 November-1 December: Qatar Grand Prix*
6-8 December: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
*denotes a sprint event, with the additional race on the Saturday before the main grand prix on the Sunday
We are now at the point where Dutchman Verstappen can win the title at the next race - he will become world champion if he leaves Las Vegas with a lead of at least 60 points.
How are points awarded for finishing positions?
The points for the top 10 places in a grand prix are: 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1
What difference might sprint races make?
There are more points available at a sprint event. In addition to the points for a grand prix, the winner of the sprint receives eight points, second place seven and so on down to eighth. There is no point for fastest lap in a sprint.
Verstappen has won four of the sprint races so far, with Norris claiming victory in Sao Paulo.
Will fastest laps be a factor?
It seems unlikely given Verstappen's lead now, but there is a point for the driver who sets the fastest lap as long as he finishes in the top 10.
Can their team-mates make a difference?
Yes. But as you can see from above, Norris needs more than that to overhaul Verstappen.
Does Norris need assistance from Ferrari and Mercedes?
Yes. He needs as many cars between him and Verstappen at the end of a race as possible.
Will certain tracks favour certain teams or drivers?
Yes, but it is hard to predict reliably which ones.
Qatar should be particularly strong for McLaren; Las Vegas favours Ferrari. Red Bull are always strong in Abu Dhabi.
The cars are so close that other factors can come into play, too - who has a better weekend, driver performance etc.
What happens if the drivers' championship finishes level?
If drivers tie on points, the winner is determined by results countback. Initially that would be who has most wins. If that is equal, then who has most second places and so on.
Have Norris and Verstappen clashed this season?
Yes. Twice in a row in Austin and Mexico City.
Before that, they collided while fighting for the lead in Austria. Verstappen was penalised for the manoeuvre, but that did not help Norris, as he retired and Verstappen finished fifth, a position not affected by the 10-second penalty he was given.
Although title battles tend to introduce tension in the relationship between the drivers in question, their off-track relationship remains good.
Have eventual world champions come from a long way back before?
Yes. In 2007, Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was 17 points behind McLaren's Lewis Hamilton with two races to go. There was a different points system then, and that was the equivalent of 43 points now. The Finn won by a point.
Other examples include 1986, when McLaren's Alain Prost was 11 points behind Williams' Nigel Mansell - the equivalent of 33 points now - with two races to go and won. And 1983, when Brabham's Nelson Piquet was 14 points - the equivalent of 43 points now - behind Prost with three races to go and won.
How have McLaren managed to narrow the gap to Red Bull this season?
Red Bull started the season with a comfortably faster car than McLaren, who were third fastest behind Ferrari as well in the first five races. But a big upgrade in Miami made the McLaren competitive overnight.
As time has gone by, the McLaren has got more and more competitive and the Red Bull has fallen back.
Red Bull seemed to make some progress with an upgrade in Austin, but McLaren introduced a small upgrade in Mexico and seemed to step forward again.
Verstappen, though, was simply brilliant in Sao Paulo.
Words: Andrew Benson and Alan Jewell
Graphics: Andy Dicks