Championship Showdown: Norris Poised for Title at Qatar Grand Prix
For the first time since 2021, the 2023 drivers’ championship will extend to the penultimate race, with McLaren’s Lando Norris leading the charge to potentially clinch his first title at the Qatar Grand Prix. As the season approaches its conclusion, Norris holds a 24-point advantage over teammate Oscar Piastri and former champion Max Verstappen.
This year’s dynamics contrast sharply with recent seasons. Previously, Verstappen secured the championship early, notably clinching the 2022 title in Japan and the 2023 championship in Qatar one round early last season. In 2022, Verstappen and Norris faced off in a tense battle, with Norris as the final contender.
The Lusail circuit will host a Sprint weekend, presenting a total of 33 points available. Norris needs to maintain or improve his standing against Piastri and Verstappen, requiring only a two-point advantage across the weekend—or just one point if he claims victory in the main event. A top-seven finish in the Sprint ensures that a win in the Grand Prix would secure the championship, regardless of Piastri and Verstappen’s positions.
Winning the Grand Prix is critical; in case of a points tie, Norris would win on countback due to a higher number of victories. Even if Piastri matches his win total, Norris’s superior second-place finishes would grant him the title.
Norris’s rivals face clear stakes: they must not lose more than one point to him throughout the weekend. The Sprint format allows Norris the potential to gain 25 points for a win; however, if he underperforms, both Piastri and Verstappen could leverage points from the Sprint and Grand Prix to outscore him.
As the tension builds for the Qatar Grand Prix, all eyes will be on Norris to see if he can secure his maiden championship in a season that has decisively kept the title race alive until the penultimate round.
