Here is what you need to know about the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, the penultimate round of the 2025 F1 season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
How can Lando Norris win the F1 title this weekend?<\/p>\n
McLaren driver Norris is in pole position to become the F1 drivers’ champion, and the British racer can seal the title this weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What Piastri needs to do in the final rounds to snatch the F1 championship<\/a><\/p>\n Here is how the drivers’ championship is poised with two rounds remaining.\u00a0<\/p>\n Norris leads the championship on 390 points, which is a 24-point advantage over Piastri and Verstappen, who are both on 366.<\/p>\n Here is how Norris can win the title this weekend.<\/p>\n Outscore Piastri and Verstappen by two points<\/p>\n At the conclusion of this weekend, there will be one grand prix to race in 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n The maximum amount of points a driver can score in the final round is 25 points.\u00a0<\/p>\n Therefore, if Norris holds a lead of 26 points leaving Qatar, he will be the world champion.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Qatar, there will be one grand prix and one sprint race held, with a maximum of 33 points to be won.\u00a0<\/p>\n PositionGrand prix pointsSprint race pointsFirst258Second187Third156Fourth125Fifth104Sixth83Seventh62Eighth41Ninth20Tenth10<\/p>\n There are many combinations of results that can happen for Norris to score two, or more, points than Piastri and Verstappen.\u00a0<\/p>\n But in simple terms, Piastri and Verstappen need to finish ahead of Norris to keep the title fight alive.<\/p>\n Norris wins the Qatar Grand Prix, and holds a 25-point lead in the championship<\/p>\n So, what if Norris only has a 25-point lead at the end of the Qatar weekend?\u00a0<\/p>\n Well, he will go into Abu Dhabi needing to finish 10th or better to win the title.\u00a0<\/p>\n But what if Piastri or Verstappen are 25 points behind, win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while and Norris fails to score, and the drivers are tied for points?<\/p>\n Well, then the title will be decided on countback.\u00a0<\/p>\n If points are equal, then the driver with the most grand prix wins is crowned champion.\u00a0<\/p>\n If the number of wins is the same, then the driver with the most second-place finishes is the champion, and so on.\u00a0<\/p>\n Heading into the Qatar weekend, Norris and Piastri have seven wins, while Verstappen has six.\u00a0<\/p>\n So, if Norris wins in Qatar (his eighth grand prix victory) and is 25 points ahead of Verstappen, then the Dutchman cannot win the title.<\/p>\n If Norris wins in Qatar and Piastri then equals his points tally the following week in Abu Dhabi with a victory, both drivers will have won eight grands prix.<\/p>\n The countback would then go to the driver with the most second-place finishes, which Norris leads Piastri 8-3.<\/p>\n Lando Norris (left) can win the F1 title this weekend, but teammate Oscar Piastri (right) can also reclaim the lead of the championship in Qatar. (Reuters: Jakub Porzycki)<\/p>\n While Norris has a terrific chance of winning the title this weekend, he can also lose the lead of the championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the absolute worst-case scenario, Norris could leave Qatar sitting third in the championship. But a lot would need to go wrong for Norris not to leave Qatar with the lead of the championship, at the very least.<\/p>\n When does the F1 Qatar Grand Prix begin?<\/p>\n In Australia, the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix will be held on Monday, December 11.<\/p>\n Here is when the race will begin in each of Australia’s states and territories:<\/p>\n 3am AEDT: NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas2:30am ACDT: South Australia2am AEST: Queensland1:30am ACST: Northern Territory12am AWST: Western AustraliaABC Sport Daily podcast<\/a><\/p>\n ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that’s making headlines.<\/p>\n There is also a sprint race this weekend in Qatar.\u00a0<\/p>\n The sprint race, which is one-third of a grand prix distance, will run overnight on Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30, depending on where you are in Australia.<\/p>\n Here is when the sprint race will begin in each of Australia’s states and territories:<\/p>\n 1am AEDT, Sunday, November 30: NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas12:30am ACDT, Sunday, November 30: South Australia12am AEST, Sunday, November 30: Queensland11:30pm ACST, Saturday, November 29: Northern Territory10pm AWST, Saturday, November 29: Western AustraliaHow can I watch and follow the F1 Qatar Grand Prix?<\/p>\n Fox Sports and its streaming platform Kayo will be broadcasting the Qatar Grand Prix.<\/p>\n Those watching on Foxtel can watch the race on Fox Sports, channel 506.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n