McLaren's Mistakes Pave Way for Verstappen's Unlikely Title Shot

Max Verstappen, initially 104 points behind Oscar Piastri in late August, is now heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with a genuine chance to win his fifth consecutive Drivers' Championship. Despite a dominant McLaren one-two at Zandvoort being on the cards, a series of strategic missteps and driver errors by McLaren, coupled with Red Bull's performance resurgence, have dramatically shifted the title fight.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's incredible comeback from a seemingly insurmountable deficit highlights the unpredictable nature of Formula 1. This remarkable turnaround, fueled by both his team's improvements and McLaren's faltering, sets the stage for a thrilling three-way championship decider in Abu Dhabi.

The Details:

• Red Bull's Resurgence: After a challenging Hungarian Grand Prix where Verstappen qualified eighth and finished ninth, Red Bull introduced a significant floor upgrade at Monza. This upgrade, combined with a seemingly improved team atmosphere under Laurent Mekies after Christian Horner's departure, propelled Verstappen to consistent podium finishes and four victories in eight races.
• Baku Blunders: Oscar Piastri's season took a downturn with crashes in both qualifying and the race in Baku, leading to a six-race podium drought. Lando Norris also failed to fully capitalize on these errors due to qualifying struggles and race mistakes.
• Austin 'Repercussions': Tensions at McLaren escalated after a first-lap collision between Piastri and Norris in Singapore. Team-enforced 'repercussions' in Austin, giving Piastri priority in qualifying, backfired when both drivers crashed out of the Sprint race, hindering data collection and costing crucial points.
• Vegas Double Disqualification: After Norris took pole and victory in Mexico City and secured another pole and win in the Sao Paulo Sprint, he seemed on the verge of his maiden title. However, both McLarens were disqualified in Las Vegas due to plank wear breaches, dramatically narrowing the gap and leveling Verstappen with Piastri, 24 points behind Norris.
• Qatar Strategy Misjudgment: In Qatar, McLaren opted not to pit either Piastri or Norris during a Safety Car period, a decision that proved costly as the race saw no further interruptions. This allowed Verstappen to gain ground, and while Norris secured fourth due to an Antonelli error, McLaren's strategic inflexibility cost them valuable points.

What's next:

Lando Norris holds a 12-point lead over Verstappen going into the final race, with Piastri four points further back. McLaren's series of autumn blunders have opened the door for what could be one of the greatest comebacks in F1 history. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will decide whether Verstappen can seal his fifth title, or if Norris or Piastri can secure their maiden championship.