![\"F1](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760811254_972_960x0.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS – AUGUST 30: Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren, Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren, and Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing pose for the top three photograph during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on August 30, 2025 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Kym Illman\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
Formula 1 enters the final stretch of the 2025 season<\/a>, with only six rounds remaining to determine who will take home the drivers\u2019 championship.<\/p>\n On the constructors\u2019 front, McLaren<\/a> has already confirmed their second consecutive title – their first back-to-back titles since 1992 – in the last round in Singapore.<\/p>\n The team now has a total of 10 constructors\u2019 titles in their cabinet, putting them ahead of Williams on the all-time list and second only to Ferrari.<\/p>\n Unlike last year, this season has seen McLaren absolutely dominate, winning 12 of the first 15 races and securing seven one-two finishes. They currently sit at 650 points – 325 ahead of second-place Mercedes – and have clinched the title in a record-equalling time with six rounds to spare, matching Red Bull in the 2023 season.<\/p>\n With the constructors\u2019 title now done and dusted, all eyes turn to the intense drivers\u2019 championship.<\/p>\n ForbesF1 2025 Calendar: Full Race Schedule And Sprint VenuesBy Yara Elshebiny<\/a>ForbesWho Are The 2025 Formula 1 Team Principals?By Yara Elshebiny<\/a>Who Is In Contention For The Drivers\u2019 Title?<\/p>\n McLaren has the upper hand in the drivers\u2019 championship too, with Oscar Piastri currently leading with 22 points ahead of his teammate Lando Norris. The team hasn\u2019t tasted victory in three rounds however, with their most recent one coming in the Netherlands back in August.<\/p>\n In the following round in Monza, it was Max Verstappen of Red Bull who snagged his third win of the season ahead of the McLarens and followed that up with another victory in Azerbaijan, where Piastri crashed into the wall on the first lap and Norris could only manage a seventh-place finish – failing to make a meaningful dent in his teammate\u2019s lead.<\/p>\n The Dutchman\u2019s victory in Baku brought his points tally to 255, shrinking the deficit to Piastri from 104 points to just 69 in the span of two race weekends and reigniting his hopes of clinching a fifth consecutive drivers\u2019 title.<\/p>\n In the last round in Singapore, George Russell of Mercedes took the chequered flag, delivering a flawless drive that put him over five seconds ahead of Verstappen, with Norris finishing third right ahead of Piastri and shrinking the gap to 22 points.<\/p>\n While McLaren secured the constructors\u2019 title under the lights of Marina Bay, tensions between the two drivers pretty much overshadowed celebrations after they both banged wheels on the opening lap of the race – an incident that was later reviewed by the team, which then identified that Norris was responsible for the contact.<\/p>\n With McLaren\u2019s scrap in Singapore now settled, the team knows they need to maintain focus in the remaining six rounds and shake off any internal strife that could affect their performance.<\/p>\n Verstappen is now the only driver posing a threat with his current strong run of form, having not finished lower than second since the summer break and having been consistently outpacing the McLarens in the last few rounds.<\/p>\n With the recent upgrades to his RB21 and McLaren\u2019s ongoing drama, it\u2019s not out of the question that he could turn things around in the remaining races.<\/p>\n The four-time world champion faces a tall order however with his deficit of 63 points, needing a turnaround of 10.5 points per race weekend. If he managed to win the remaining six races and three sprints, and Piastri finished no higher than third, he could clinch the title by a slim margin.<\/p>\n It sounds like a daunting task for him, but it is worth remembering that Verstappen has outscored Piastri by 41 points over the last three races, averaging about 13.7 points per weekend.<\/p>\n Of course, his chances are heavily tied to McLaren\u2019s performance as much as his. If the McLaren duo continues to clash and make costly mistakes, it will leave the door wide open for Verstappen to capitalize.<\/p>\n Speaking about his title fight, Verstappen said ahead of this weekend\u2019s United States Grand Prix that his chances feel about \u201cfifty-fifty\u201d, insisting that he should have won the Singapore race to have a real shot at the title.<\/p>\n He finished in second and outpaced the two McLarens on a circuit that isn\u2019t favorable for Red Bull on paper, yet he felt a win was within reach.<\/p>\n It is understandable that he is trying to alleviate the pressure on himself and the team but it doesn\u2019t diminish the reality that, with his current form and McLaren facing their own struggles, the championship battle is still wide open.<\/p>\n Now, while Piastri knows the championship is his to lose, he must shake off recent disappointments and stay focused to keep Verstappen at bay while also avoiding mistakes that give Norris a chance to further close in on him as they both chase down their maiden drivers\u2019 title and the team\u2019s first since 2008.<\/p>\n Which Team Has Advantage To Win The Remaining Races?<\/p>\n McLaren and Red Bull look pretty evenly matched heading into the final six rounds. This weekend, the Circuit of the Americas hosts round 19 at the United States Grand Prix<\/a>, and it\u2019s a track that plays to both teams\u2019 strengths and weaknesses.<\/p>\n On paper, the medium and high-speed corners at COTA benefit McLaren more than Red Bull, while the car is expected to struggle at tight corners and when it needs to handle bumps and kerbs.<\/p>\n \u201cI would expect that Austin will still be a bit of a struggle for us, because the corners are tight in many braking areas,\u201d said<\/a> McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. “Our tracks still remain the likes of Brazil, Qatar, Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n “Perhaps earlier on in the season, when we had a bit more advantage, we could cope better with some other circuits. But now the field has become even more competitive. Red Bull seems to have solved both its high drag and Singapore factors, but they are extremely capable. It’s no surprise they are in the game.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to accept the fight. And that\u2019s what we are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n The Italian also noted a troubling pattern for McLaren when the car encounters braking with bumps and kerbs. \u201cWe seem to observe a pattern,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen we have braking with bumps and with kerbs, in Canada we were not the best car. In Baku we were not the best car. And in Singapore we are not the best car.\u201d<\/p>\n Since COTA is a bumpy track, that\u2019s another hurdle for McLaren to overcome this weekend.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Red Bull\u2019s strengths across various sections of the track could give them the edge. The team is also no stranger to success at COTA, with Verstappen winning three of the last four races there.<\/p>\n With it being a sprint weekend<\/a>, there\u2019s a maximum of 33 points up for grabs for a driver, making it a prime opportunity for Verstappen to threaten the title.<\/p>\n