How can Lando Norris win first F1 world title at Qatar Grand Prix?

Lando Norris looking happy edited onto a background of a Qatar flag — Photo: © IMAGO

Formula 1

How can Lando Norris win first world title at Qatar Grand Prix?

Norris can become world champion in Qatar

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Saturday 29 November 2025 17:29

Lando Norris can add his name to the F1 history books this weekend and become a world champion for the first time at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Both McLarens of Norris and Oscar Piastri suffered a double disqualification last time out at the Las Vegas GP, after it was found that both cars exceeded the legal limit of plank wear after Saturday's night race.

This meant that Norris and Piastri both had their race results nullified, placing Piastri in a better position to catch his McLaren rival.

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Before the points from Vegas were deducted, Norris had a 30-gap advantage over his team-mate. After the double disqualification however - and a recent sprint race win from Piastri - the Aussie is now just 22 points behind the standings leader.

The title fight hasn't yet been lost by Piastri or Verstappen, but Norris would have to suffer in Qatar this weekend to fail to come away with his maiden title.

F1 Driver Standings
Position	Driver	Team	Points
1	Lando Norris	McLaren	396
2	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	374
3	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	371

What must Norris do to win F1 title this weekend?

Norris' lead currently sits at 22 points with Piastri less than one race win away from matching the Brit's total.

However, the penultimate round of the 2025 campaign is a sprint weekend, meaning that a maximum of 33 points are on offer this weekend.

Now yes, the maths is slightly trickier given that there is a sprint race and a full-length grand prix in Qatar but Norris won't be able to win the championship after Saturday's sprint alone anyway.

All he needs to do is leave the Qatar race weekend 26 points ahead of Piastri and Verstappen and he will be crowned champion.

Head scrambled? Let's make it even easier. The crux of it is that if Norris outscores both title rivals by two points this weekend, regardless of when he picked up those points, he will be crowned champion in Qatar.

If the 26-year-old only manages to finish Sunday's race with a 25 point lead however, that’s when the battle will go down to the wire and the countback could come in to play in Abu Dhabi.

McLaren Lando Norris Qatar Grand Prix