Qatar GP: Norris staying calm with Formula 1 title in his sights

LUSAIL: Lando Norris has a big enough lead not to panic heading into the penultimate race of the Formula 1 season in Qatar on Sunday.

The McLaren driver is close to sealing the first F1 title of his career. The 26-year-old Briton is 24 points ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, whose brilliant comeback in recent weeks has given him a glimpse of a fifth straight crown.

Verstappen's 69 race wins put him third all-time behind Michael Schumacher (91) and Lewis Hamilton (105). The dynamic Dutchman is already considered one of the best F1 drivers ever and his late charge this season was aided by the disqualification of both McLaren drivers following the Las Vegas GP last Sunday, a race he won.

Norris lost the 18 points he had earned from crossing the line in second place, and Piastri the 12 from initially placing fourth.

“Of course it hurts. But actually I found it quite easy just to move on," said Norris, who earlier this season found himself lagging behind a dominant Piastri. “I feel as relaxed as I was before, when I was 35 points behind (Piastri), and I feel the same when I'm 24 points ahead. That's my strength for now.”

There are 33 points on offer this weekend, with an additional eight from Saturday's sprint race. Put more simply: Norris will clinch the Formula 1 title if he scores at least two more points than Verstappen and Piastri across the weekend.

Race strategy will be harder to impose given that teams have two mandatory pit stops in Qatar, a measure imposed on safety grounds due to high risk of tire degradation at the 5.4-kilometer (3.35-mile) Lusail International Circuit. Pirelli tires are restricted to a maximum 25 laps in the 57-lap race.

McLaren's penalty in Vegas hurt Norris, who had won the two previous races, more than Piastri. He inadvertently closed the gap on Norris, having finished six points behind him in that race before the DQ.

But Piastri has not won since the final day of August at the Dutch Grand Prix and has no podiums in the past six races.

“There’s still a chance,” the Australian driver said. “I also know that it’s a bit of an outside shot.”

Verstappen has won the last two races in Qatar and four of the last five in Abu Dhabi, where the season will end the following Sunday.