When can Max Verstappen become 2023 F1 World Champion?

With a 177-point lead in the F1 world championship, Max Verstappen appears to be heading for his third world title. The question is: when can Verstappen get that world title? He succeeded in 2022 during the Japanese Grand Prix. Where can it happen in 2023?

Verstappen travels to Qatar with 400 points in the world championship. Red Bull Racing already secured the title at the constructors in Japan, for Verstappen is the first chance of a world title in Qatar. The gap between Verstappen and his closest rival Sergio Perez was still too big ahead of the GP at the Suzuka Circuit.

Can Verstappen become world champion in Qatar?

In Qatar, Verstappen will get a chance, and the first is on Saturday. Qatar is a sprint race weekend, so there are already points to be earned on Saturday. Prior to the weekend in Qatar, there are still 180 points to be distributed. Verstappen is 177 points ahead of Perez after his win in Japan, so there is a good chance that Verstappen will already secure the title on Saturday.

For that, Verstappen must finish at least sixth in the sprint race. Then the difference between Verstappen and Perez is 172 points, exactly the number of points that can still be earned after the sprint race. If Perez comes second, then Verstappen has enough to finish in seventh place. If Perez gets third, then an eighth place is enough. In the final scenario, where Perez finishes fourth or lower in the sprint race, Verstappen doesn't have to score any points at all to be the world champion on Saturday in Qatar.

Here's a full breakdown of the number of points left ahead of each Grand Prix weekend

Qatar Grand Prix (sprint race) - 180 points

United States Grand Prix (sprint race) - 146 points

Mexican Grand Prix - 112 points

Brazilian Grand Prix (sprint race) - 86 points

Las Vegas Grand Prix - 52 points

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - 26 points