As a charming 2025 season heads in direction of its shut, there’s nonetheless lots to play for within the upcoming ultimate three rounds of the marketing campaign. Forward of this all-important triple header – spanning Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi – our writers Lawrence Barretto, Chris Medland, David Tremayne and Alex Jacques have shared their predictions for what might unfold, starting from who will emerge as World Champion by to probably the most thrilling storylines to control…
Who will win the Drivers’ Championship, and may Verstappen beat one – or each – of the McLaren drivers?
Lawrence Barretto (F1 Correspondent & Presenter): Given the shape Max Verstappen is at present in – his heroic drive from pit lane to podium in Brazil was one other instance of simply how good he’s driving proper now – I do not suppose you possibly can low cost him, even when the Red Bull racer is 49 points adrift with three rounds to go.
However there isn’t a doubt, Lando Norris is the favorite now. He is completed forward of McLaren workforce mate Oscar Piastri within the six occasions since his painful mechanical DNF within the Netherlands and appears to have come into type at simply the correct time. Nevertheless it wasn’t that way back that Verstappen appeared like he was proper within the hunt and, earlier than that, Piastri appeared to be in charge of the title struggle – so in my thoughts, it is from over.
Chris Medland (Particular Contributor): At this level it’s getting powerful to look previous Lando Norris, given the momentum he has constructed up. It actually does really feel like Norris has discovered the consistency that has been missing at instances this yr, simply as Oscar Piastri has struggled slightly extra.
Verstappen can nonetheless win it, however Las Vegas goes to be essential for that. He wants a victory and the McLarens struggling within the chilly circumstances to offer him the possibility of an enormous factors swing, as a result of I don’t see Qatar being a race weekend the place he’s prone to take a big chunk out of any lead, even when he is ready to struggle for the win there.
David Tremayne (Corridor of Fame F1 Journalist): I feel the chances favour Lando now, if he can preserve it clear and preserve ending on the rostrum no matter anybody else does. I can see Max overhauling Oscar, until the latter can rediscover his mojo. There have been indicators of fine race tempo from him in Mexico and Brazil, however he must get better his Qualifying type.
Alex Jacques (F1 TV Commentator): All roads at present result in Lando, however I feel we have to take a step again. Oscar has led 15 rounds of this championship and Max Verstappen was the bookmakers’ favorite after Austin. Preserving the momentum has turned out to be the defining characteristic of this championship, and we nonetheless have sufficient time for it to shift once more; simply take a look at 2007 or 1986, for instance. It ought to end within the present order, however we have simply seen so many twists to make sure.
Will Mercedes, Ferrari or Pink Bull end second within the Groups’ Championship?
LB: Brazil was a painful weekend for Ferrari, with the Scuderia arriving at Interlagos in P2 of the Teams’ Championship and leaving in P4 – and it was compounded as a result of Mercedes‘ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell confirmed how closely they’ll rating when the automotive fits the monitor. It may be a good struggle between these two for P2 – with Pink Bull affected by solely scoring closely with one automotive – and provided that I count on Ferrari to be robust at Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi, I feel the Italian squad would possibly simply edge it to steal P2 for the second yr on the bounce.
CM: I’ve received to go along with Mercedes now. This was a a lot more durable query to reply earlier than Brazil, however Kimi Antonelli’s type has been spectacular, and even a troublesome weekend for George Russell yielded a P3 and a P4. I can’t see Pink Bull getting sufficient factors throughout each automobiles to shut the hole regardless of the potential for Verstappen to choose up some wins, and Ferrari’s double-DNF seems to be actually expensive. They’re 36 factors behind Mercedes, and would want to match their finest rating of the season – achieved within the Dash weekend in america – with the Silver Arrows not scoring to attract stage once more.
DT: I can see Pink Bull getting as much as second, from Mercedes and Ferrari.
AJ: I feel with Vegas and Qatar developing, twinned with Kimi Antonelli’s robust type in Brazil, Mercedes begin as favourites for the runner-up spot. Pink Bull are successfully combating with one automotive, and Ferrari are having inner battles.
Which workforce and driver must have the strongest displaying within the ultimate three races of the season?
LB: Yuki Tsunoda wants a powerful finish to his marketing campaign to retain a presence on the grid for a sixth successive yr with the Pink Bull household. The Japanese racer has proven glimmers of a breakthrough, however he had a troublesome time in Brazil – on a weekend the place Verstappen starred as soon as extra to indicate the gulf between them.
From a groups’ perspective, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, Haas and Kick Sauber are separated by simply 20 factors with every place within the championship value a number of million {dollars} – and thus all of them have to have a powerful finish to what has been a really tightly-fought midfield marketing campaign.
CM: Loads of candidates right here for various causes, however given what’s at stake I’ll go along with McLaren and Oscar Piastri. The Australian has had an excellent season however is simply struggling slightly on the flawed time, whereas sure selections haven’t gone his manner both. He’s proven he’s greater than a match for Norris for therefore lengthy this yr, however he has to hit again in Las Vegas to stop his workforce mate from having the ability to management the championship struggle within the ultimate two rounds.
The explanation I embody McLaren is each as a result of they didn’t get their technique fairly proper with Piastri in Brazil – and so they can’t afford to get it flawed for a driver because the title goes right down to the wire – and since Verstappen will make the most of any large errors generally.
DT: Max and Pink Bull, if they’re to beat the not insignificant factors deficits to Lando and Oscar.
AJ: Yuki Tsunoda might do with a standout drive as he tries to avoid wasting his F1 profession; Lewis Hamilton not standing on the rostrum as soon as in a Components 1 season feels not possible; and Franco Colapinto shall be determined to not end the season with out a level. All three will hope for season bests within the ultimate three.
Which storylines are you most excited by within the ultimate three races?
LB: Apart from the tense three-way struggle for the Drivers’ Championship, I am intrigued to see if Lewis Hamilton can put collectively a easy weekend and get that first podium in purple, or if he or workforce mate Charles Leclerc can provide the well-known Italian workforce their first victory of what has been a difficult season.
CM: Is it boring to say the Drivers’ Championship struggle? Particularly if Verstappen can drag himself again right into a three-way battle heading to the ultimate two rounds. Actually in Vegas I’m excited to see if he can do this after his cost in Interlagos. Apart from that, the midfield struggle has been sensible this yr. The driving force in nineteenth within the Drivers’ standings has 19 factors and a top-six end this yr. It’s been so aggressive, and I’m wanting ahead to some extra large drives as the ultimate Groups’ positions get sorted out.
DT: The title struggle, naturally. That may take priority over every thing else: simply how robust Max shall be (I believe very), whether or not Lando holds agency or cracks, and the way a lot Oscar can discover his outdated type in a automotive that not appears fairly so suited to his driving fashion. How, if obligatory, the McLaren drivers may help each other, in extremis. And the way will McLaren juggle their want to allow them to struggle and the will for his or her first Drivers’ World Championship since Lewis in 2008?
But additionally the intra-team struggle chez Mercedes, which has been hotting up of late. A powerful displaying from them in Vegas might additionally tilt the end result of the title struggle. Ditto Racing Bulls, re intra-team competitors.
AJ: Each storylines for the championship are glorious – we’ll both have a brand new champion with one of many McLaren drivers or the best comeback in F1 historical past. Past the apparent, I am excited to see extra large killing from the rookies. Ollie Bearman and Isack Hadjar have carried out brilliantly this yr, and nobody anticipated Gabriel Bortoleto to beat Nico Hulkenberg in a Qualifying head-to-head. They have been a lot enjoyable to observe.
One daring prediction for the ultimate three races of the season…
LB: Kimi Antonelli has been rising in confidence since Mercedes boss Toto Wolff described his efficiency at Monza as “underwhelming”. He took an excellent second within the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, following up his P2 within the Dash, and I reckon he can go one higher and win one of many ultimate occasions of the season.
CM: We’re nonetheless going to have another shock top-three end result. I’m undecided if will probably be in a Qualifying session, Dash or over a Grand Prix distance – the latter most likely least doubtless – however so many groups have proven a capability to simply nail every thing at sure factors, significantly on Dash weekends, and I simply suppose one other midfield driver will pull out an attention grabbing efficiency.
DT: I stand by my pre-season prediction: Kimi will win a race…
AJ: I am going to go along with a primary profession win for Kimi Antonelli.
