F1 2025 Standings: Max Verstappen suffers title race setback

Reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen has suffered a title race setback at this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix after Saturday's sprint race.

The Dutchman finished the final 100km event of the season in P4, but his rivals Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris both crossed the line ahead of him, in what could prove to be a crucial moment in this year's championship.

Heading into the penultimate race weekend of the season, Verstappen was equal on points with Piastri, with the pair 24 points behind drivers' standings leader Norris.

But Piastri continued his dominant weekend by taking the sprint victory and the maximum eight championship points that came with it.

The Mercedes of George Russell split the two McLarens, with Norris finishing P3, adding six points to his lead. Verstappen came away from the sprint with five points, meaning the gap has now been cut to just 25 points between Red Bull's star driver and McLaren's leading man

As a result, Verstappen must finish Sunday's main event ahead of Norris or he will be ruled out of this year's title fight for good.

Norris also has a 22-point advantage over his team-mate Piastri heading into the penultimate race of the year.

Here are the full F1 standings after the sprint race at the Qatar GP!

F1 Drivers' Standings after 2025 Qatar Grand Prix Sprint

F1 Constructors' Standings after 2025 Qatar Grand Prix Sprint

2025 rule change removes fastest lap point

The fastest lap point has been removed for the 2025 season. Since 2019, drivers have picked up an extra point if they finish in the top 10 and achieve the fastest lap.

However, in the past, this led to some drivers abandoning their races to pit and fit a new set of tyres in the final stages of the race in order to claim the fastest lap point or prevent a rival from getting the extra point, playing the tactical long game in the championship standings.

The most famous example of this last season came during Daniel Ricciardo's final F1 race, when the Australian finished last but claimed the fastest lap on the final lap of the Singapore GP, taking the extra point away from Norris and helping Verstappen's 2024 title bid.

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