This weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix kicks off a three-race finale, followed by the Qatar GP (plus a sprint race) and then the season finale in Abu Dhabi. With so much at stake and no doubt some surprises still in store, here’s what our writers predict for the final rounds of the season.
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Who will win the F1 world drivers title?
Ed Hardy: Lando Norris is doing everything a person would want from a title challenger. The McLaren driver has just found that extra step in the last few races, while Oscar Piastri has gone in the opposite direction. Even if the Briton retired in Las Vegas, it is doubtful his teammate would make the most of his current appearance.
Owen Bellwood: If Norris can overcome a streak of poor results to transform his championship, why can’t Piastri? The Australian had a terrible time recently and will no doubt have spent the last few weeks off the track working on his mentality to return with all his weapons. If he does, he has the skills to overcome the 36-point deficit facing his teammate.
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Ronald Vording: Norris has already taken two of the three key steps after his engine failure in Zandvoort. Mentally he seems stronger than before, with Q3 in Brazil being the clearest example. The Brit didn’t have a fastest lap on the board, and although that has gone wrong more often than not in the past, he has now secured pole position. Secondly, he feels much more comfortable with the front of the car compared to earlier this year, which translates into more consistent performances. The third variable that remains: is he calm enough to finish it? It’s the biggest challenge of his F1 career so far, but with his current form, he should be able to get the job done.
Ben Vinel: Everything points to Norris. He’s 24 points ahead, he’s got the momentum and he looks more confident than ever. Norris has led his McLaren teammate Piastri by 58 points over the last six rounds, and Max Verstappen now appears too far away to mount a credible challenge unless something shocking happens.
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Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing team
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing team
A bold prediction for the triple match
HEY: Yuki Tsunoda getting on the podium, although I admit, is more of a hope than a prediction. The 25-year-old is a much better driver than his short tenure at Red Bull has shown and it’s sad to see, because until then he was a very solid F1 driver at the sister team. It would be nice for him to finally get a podium finish before he likely leaves at the end of 2025, giving Japanese fans something to celebrate before their next driver arrives.
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EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION: Lewis Hamilton will be on the podium for Ferrari in one of the three remaining races; My money is on Las Vegas, but any of the remaining races will do. This might be wishful thinking, but the Brit has history in Sin City, and last year Ferrari had a solid third and fourth place finish, so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.
RV: Andrea Kimi Antonelli will get his first victory in F1. Of course: realistically, this may be a prediction that needs to extend to 2026, but why not be a little bold? If Mercedes, like last year, is the benchmark in the relatively cold conditions of Las Vegas, then Antonelli cannot be ruled out. Yes, George Russell remains the favorite given his experience, but Antonelli has certainly shown flashes of his immense talent. At Interlagos he also showed remarkable maturity, both by staying clear of the wet curbs during the sprint and by holding off Verstappen on Sunday. So, is the young Italian ready for the big tournament?
VB: Honestly, I don’t think much out of the ordinary happened during those last three races, so I think Piastri failed to make the podium in the three races on Sunday. This would be surprising for this year’s seven-time Grand Prix winner, but Piastri hasn’t looked very convincing lately, and I think this prediction is… not improbable.
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Who will finish second in the F1 world constructors’ championship?
HEY: It’s hard to imagine Mercedes blowing their 32-point lead over Red Bull in the remaining races. Although Verstappen has every chance of winning again this year, the Austrian team simply gets nothing from the second car, while Mercedes has both drivers scoring points. Frankly, I’m not sure Ferrari, which is in fourth place, is worth talking about.
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EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION: Red Bull is flying with Verstappen, but to catch up and pass Mercedes will require a mammoth effort from the Dutchman and a dramatic change in teammate Tsunoda’s fortunes. I don’t see that happening, so I think second place is practically guaranteed for Mercedes at this point in the season.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
RV: Mercedes. Red Bull Racing, or Max Verstappen Racing, as Russell joked, has made great strides since Monza, but Mercedes’ current cushion should be enough. Even more so because Las Vegas offers another track, or at least climatic conditions, that should suit them. If Russell and Antonelli avoid silly mistakes, that should be enough. Verstappen is scoring points almost alone at Red Bull, while Mercedes, if Antonelli continues with his current trajectory, has two drivers capable of adding points. Ferrari stopped developing its 2025 car before Mercedes and Red Bull, making second place unlikely.
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VB: Another not particularly bold take, but I’ll go with Mercedes. They now have a comfortable margin over Red Bull and Ferrari, and Antonelli’s form has been improving. Adding in the fact that they are expected to have a strong performance in Las Vegas, they should be able to pull it off, but no surprises can be ruled out.
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Who will finish sixth in the F1 constructors’ championship?
HEY: Haas. They have a 12-point deficit to the sixth-place Racing Bulls, which is quite a bit with so few races remaining, but the American team is on an upward trajectory. He has scored points in the last four grands prix and is capable of continuing that streak with two strong drivers; It doesn’t take much for the situation to change.
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EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION: My head says that sixth place is safe with the strong pairing of Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, but recent results say this might not be so certain. Haas is turning things around and Oliver Bearman is on track to challenge Hadjar for the crown of this year’s most impressive rookie. So, let’s cross our fingers that this change of fortune for the American team will be enough to make up for the 12 points they currently lack.
RV: The battle for sixth place in the constructors’ championship could go either way. A more notable result from Hadjar or Lawson would likely put Racing Bulls on the safe side, and given the seasons those drivers (especially Hadjar) have had, that can’t be ruled out. Still, I’d put my money on Haas. With the Austin update, the American team has taken a significant step forward, while most competitors had shifted their focus towards 2026. The package works as expected and is proving to be a powerful weapon, particularly in Bearman’s hands, making a 12-point gap far from impossible to overcome.
VB: That’s the most complicated one. There have been so many changes in performance as this battle has unfolded that no one can say what is going to happen. Everyone here has bet on Haas, so I’ll diverge and predict that Racing Bulls will hold on. The momentum may be on Haas with its recent upgrade, but Racing Bulls have had better form overall this year and Lawson has bounced back after his demotion from Red Bull. Still, it will be complicated and Aston Martin cannot be ruled out if Fernando Alonso puts in a couple of notable performances.
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