Max Verstappen shares what Red Bull must now do to beat Lando Norris in the F1 title race

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Max Verstappen is now right back in the 2025 F1 title fight with just two races to go after McLaren’s shock Las Vegas Grand Prix disqualification.

The Dutchman leaves the United States trailing Lando Norris by just 24 points in the drivers’ championship.

After the chequered flag on Sunday, he was 42 points behind the McLaren driver, but Verstappen couldn’t have asked for a greater miracle.

Excessive plank wear has handed Red Bull a golden opportunity to get back in the fight and complete one of the craziest comebacks in Formula 1 history.

Norris called Verstappen ‘difficult’ after finishing second behind him at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and didn’t have the pace to overcome him on track.

Red Bull cost Verstappen in Vegas by botching his Q3 run plan. It compromised his push for pole position, but still managed to achieve the ultimate result.

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Max Verstappen thinks Red Bull need some ‘luck’ to beat Lando Norris in the F1 title fight

Verstappen may have a 2026 Red Bull exit clause that he may choose to activate if he doesn’t feel satisfied with his team’s performance after the new regulations start.

For now, full focus is on 2025, and a push for a fifth consecutive title is now back on the cards and a real possibility.

Verstappen’s actual race pace in Vegas was imperious, winning by over 20 seconds, but it was meant to be one of McLaren’s weaker tracks. The next race in Qatar should serve them far better.

That’s something the Dutchman recognised immediately in an interview with Sky Sports F1 after the race in Vegas, as he looked forward to the next two events.

“It depends a lot on how our car will perform in Qatar and Abu Dhabi,” he said. “Abu Dhabi is a very good McLaren track, but we’ll see.

“It’s a very, very big gap. It’s also not something that will be easily overturned. We need a bit of luck for that, but we can still win races and we’ll try.”

READ MORE: Max Verstappen claims he’s still the ‘only’ F1 driver to be punished for one offence, but he’s wrong

Who is the favourite for the 2025 F1 title now?

Now that the tables have turned, and Red Bull are back in the hunt, betting against Verstappen feels like a bold move.

That’s despite Norris’ 24-point lead. If the Briton had been struggling just as teammate Piastri has been lately, then it would be a fair call.

But to suggest that Norris fails to reach the podium, with Verstappen winning each of the last two races feels like a disservice to his season.

Piastri is showing symptoms of F1 fatigue and now that he’s level on points with Verstappen, is probably the outsider, while Norris sits in pole position.