F1 | Checkmate for the king: How Las Vegas could end Max Verstappen’s title hopes. The Las Vegas Grand Prix could be pivotal for Max Verstappen’s quest for a fifth consecutive F1 world championship.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix could already prove decisive in the battle for Max Verstappen’s fifth consecutive Formula 1 world championship. Here’s how the Dutch driver could see his championship dream come to an end.

The moment of truth is approaching for all F1 fans. With George Russell mathematically eliminated from the championship in Brazil, the title fight has officially become a three-way contest between the two McLaren drivers and Max Verstappen. However, Las Vegas could narrow the field even further, with the possibility that the Dutchman might be eliminated from the race for the title entirely.

It is remarkable that, in November, there is still discussion about Verstappen fighting for the championship. From the start of the year, it was clear that McLaren had established a significant gap over their rivals.

Red Bull, on the other hand, seemed to have lost the advantage it had built up in the early part of 2024, before witnessing the rise of the papaya-colored cars. Of course, leveraging the skills of the Hasselt-born driver, the Austrian team still managed to secure two wins between Suzuka and Imola, but these victories seemed more like isolated cases rather than concrete championship threats.

The turning point came after the summer when Oscar Piastri faced a slump while Max Verstappen entered a period of dominance, winning three of four races: Monza, Baku, and Austin. This performance brought the Dutch driver to within 36 points of the championship lead.

In just three races, the further twist saw Lando Norris become the new championship leader, widening the gap and pushing Max Verstappen’s title hopes further away. Verstappen now finds himself 49 points behind the British driver, making the Las Vegas Grand Prix a critical moment where he risks being eliminated from the championship race entirely.

How Verstappen could see his title dream end

After the Sin City GP, 58 points will remain up for grabs across Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Therefore, first and foremost, Max Verstappen cannot leave Las Vegas trailing Norris by 58 points or more.

In the event of a tie on points, it is likely that Lando Norris would still be crowned world champion due to having more race wins during the season. If Max Verstappen loses nine points to Norris in Las Vegas, he will be out of the championship race. Here are the possible scenarios:

• Norris wins (25 points) with Verstappen finishing no better than third (15 points or fewer);
• Norris second (18 points) with Verstappen finishing no better than sixth (8 points or fewer);
• Norris third (15 points) with Verstappen finishing no better than seventh (6 points or fewer);
• Norris fourth (12 points) with Verstappen finishing no better than ninth (2 points or fewer);
• Norris fifth (10 points) with Verstappen finishing no better than tenth (1 point or zero).