Already in the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix Verstappen had foregone his title bid, even though he was closer in terms of points to the championship leader Lando Norris than he is today.

As the season progressed, the words of the four-time world champion were proven true. By the summer break the gap had already grown significantly and a world title seemed truly out of reach.

After the F1 season resumed at the Dutch Grand Prix, however, the tide began to shift. A P2 in Zandvoort were followed up with wins in Monza, Baku, and Austin, and another P2 in Singapore.

Suddenly the title fight seemed to have been revived. Verstappen began to believe once again and stated in Austin that he would go for the title. Since then, though, the Dutchman’s momentum has evaporated, with Norris sealing back-to-back dominant wins in Mexico and Brazil, which gave the Briton the championship lead and a healthy 24 points cushion on title hopeful Oscar Piastri and a 49 points lead over Verstappen.

The situation is dire, with the reigning world champion facing mathematical elimination as early as this weekend in Las Vegas, should he be outscored by Norris by 9 points or more, which would see the gap grow to 58 points, the exact same amount of points that are still up for grabs in the remaining two rounds of the championship.

With a mathematical tie in Abu Dhabi Norris would still clinch the title since which would require Verstappen won the Grands Prix in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and Norris failing to score a single point, with both drivers equal on race wins, the matter would be decided by the number of podiums to their name, thus crowning the British McLaren driver the 2025 world champion.

It doesn’t change the reigning champion’s approach, though: “Same as always,” Verstappen began in the United States. “[It] Doesn't really change. I mean, it's a lot of points, so I'm not really thinking about it too much, because there's also not much that I can do. We need a lot of luck now ‘til the end to even have an opportunity. So I, personally, don’t think about that.”

Despite the possible failure to secure the title, Verstappen is satisfied with his own season so far. “It's been good for sure. I think every season you want to try and be better, which is not always easy, but you try to be more consistent and try to really optimise everything that you can with the car. And I think most of the time, we really did that. So I'm pleased with that," he added.

Verstappen’s charge to the podium showed a superior pace which instills optimism in the Dutchman’s outlook on the races in Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. To take the title, nevertheless, many things need to go his way in the remaining three races of the season.

“With a lot of luck [the fight will go] till the end, but I'm not thinking about it. It's a lot of points, and I just want to have a good weekend, good weekends till the end. And then, yeah, after Abu Dhabi, we close the book, have a bit of time off, and we go again next year,” Verstappen concluded.

The Red Bull driver said to be looking into switching racing numbers, 33 for 3, for the 2026 Formula 1 season. The potential new number, is Verstappen's favorite by own admission, but he first needs approval from the FIA and Formula 1. Read why here.

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