Max Verstappen arrives at the Qatar Grand Prix with renewed confidence and a clear target. Two Grands Prix and one sprint remain, and the Red Bull driver has cut the deficit to championship leader Lando Norris to just 24 points. With a maximum of 58 points left on the table, Verstappen says he is prepared for an “all-out battle” to overturn the standings and claim his fifth consecutive Formula 1 world title.
The Dutchman won the previous race in Las Vegas, where both McLaren drivers were unexpectedly disqualified for excessive plank wear. That moment turned the title fight on its head and slashed the gap dramatically, placing Verstappen firmly back into contention as the season approaches its final stretch.
Asked about his approach heading into Qatar, Verstappen was direct.
“I’m ready! We’ll see what happens. I feel the same way I did last week.”
“We’ve closed the gap. Ideally we would have liked to close it even more, but we’re going all in. We hope to keep the excitement going until the very end.”
Table of Contents
From resignation to resurgence
Few would have predicted this scenario back in August. After finishing ninth at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Verstappen had expressed rare frustration, even suggesting he “won’t win again this season.” At that time, he was more than 100 points behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and looked set for a quiet end to the year.
Instead, he delivered one of the strongest late-season comebacks of his career. Verstappen has won four of the last eight races and finished on the podium in all remaining rounds. His recovery has lifted him to 366 points, level with Piastri and within striking distance of Norris.
The combination of improved Red Bull performance, consistent execution, and McLaren’s moment of misfortune in Las Vegas created a title picture that is now wide open.
“Crashes, results, disqualifications — that’s racing”
While Verstappen acknowledges his improved form, he also recognizes that circumstances outside his control played a role in bringing him back into the fight.
Reflecting on McLaren’s disqualifications and the shift in momentum, Verstappen said:
“It was definitely something I didn’t expect, but here we are.”
“I’m very happy with how the season ended and I think a few things helped me a lot.”
“The results, the crashes, the disqualifications – you can’t forget about that, but I’m happy.”
He also noted that his early-season struggles still weigh on the final equation.
“Obviously I wish I had done better in the first half of the season, but I can’t change that. I just need to focus on the last two races and do my best.”
The path to a historic fifth consecutive championship
Verstappen has won the last four drivers’ titles and now stands one strong weekend away from keeping his streak alive. A victory in Qatar, paired with a favourable result in the sprint, could close the gap to single digits before the final round.
Losail has historically suited Red Bull, and Verstappen knows that a strong performance here could set up a final-race showdown that would be remembered for years.
With momentum on his side, a rejuvenated car underneath him, and the mathematical window still open, Verstappen enters Qatar with clarity: everything is still possible.
