This is how Max Verstappen became world champion in Las Vegas

There are three races left in the current Formula 1 season. Max Verstappen is all but assured of a fourth consecutive world championship, but there are more important questions to answer before the end of the season.

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Formula 1's 75th season is coming to an end. The tournament will take place in the gambling capital of Las Vegas this weekend before traveling halfway around the world to Qatar next week before concluding with the world championships in Abu Dhabi on December 8.

Despite a poor summer, dominant Max Verstappen remains on track to win a fourth consecutive world championship title. The Dutch can win the World Championship in Las Vegas and make history again. But beyond the world title, there are other issues that need clarification before Formula 1 bids farewell to its winter break.

When will Verstappen become world champion?

Verstappen currently leads Lando Norris by 62 points. Third-placed Charles Leclerc no longer has chance to win title

Since Qatar will still have sprint races, it can still score up to 86 points. If Verstappen finishes the Las Vegas Grand Prix ahead of Norris, the title will no longer be taken away from the Red Bull driver. If the British fail to reach the top eight, the World Cup title will also be decided.

Will Norris finish second?

However, the battle for second place in the World Championships will be even more exciting. Norris still held a 24-point lead over Charles Leclerc before the last three races.

For Norris, this will be the first runner-up title of his career. His best results so far are two sixth-place finishes in 2021 and 2023. Charles Leclerc finished second at the World Championships two years ago, three points ahead of third-placed Sergio Perez.

Lando Norris (left) and Charles Leclerc are the favorites to finish second at the World Championships.Image: trapezoid

Oscar Piastri, on the other hand, only had an outsider's chance. The Australian currently trails teammate Lando Norris by 69 points. This means Piastri must hope that his two rivals win the three weaker races so that he can still finish second.

Who will win the Constructors' Championship?

However, an exciting three-way battle for the World Architecture Championship is about to begin. McLaren currently leads the way with 593 points. Ferrari follows closely behind, 36 points behind, in second place. Red Bull is only thirteen points behind.

Red Bull have long held a commanding lead in first place, but Sergio Perez has been in crisis almost all year and is more likely to hang around in midfield than provide Red Bull with any real help. While Verstappen also slumped in the summer, McLaren and Ferrari overtook the Bulls in the final races.

McLaren is still ahead.Image: trapezoid

With Perez's poor performance, it can be assumed that Red Bull will need a lot of help if they are to have a say in the title race. Ferrari, on the other hand, is riding on a double win at the Austin Grand Prix and Carlos Sainz's success in Mexico, closing a few points behind McLaren and keeping the excitement alive in the race for the constructors' title.

McLaren once again holds a small lead in Brazil, but if the Italian racing team hosts another top-flight race in Las Vegas, anything is possible in the final two races. For Ferrari, it would be a first title in 16 years; McLaren has been waiting since 1998 to deliver Car of the Year.

Will this be Sergio Perez's last game?

One of the most disappointing players of the season remains Sergio Perez. In the first six races, Perez finished in the top five every time and finished on the podium four times. Since then, the Mexican has never finished better than sixth.

For months, there have been rumors after almost every race that Perez would have to give up his place at Red Bull sooner rather than later. The Austrian racing team has yet to confirm anything and Perez is contracted until 2026. But Red Bull cannot realistically afford to fill the second cockpit for another season with Perez in this form.

So far this season, Verstappen has scored 242 points more than his teammate. Red Bull had little chance of winning the Constructors' Championship due to Perez's poor points tally. This means Red Bull's prize gap is about $50 million.

Therefore, Sergio Perez's final game will most likely take place within the next three weekends. Does Perez hope to be able to take refuge there since other teams' roster spots are already taken? Carlos Sainz, Liam Lawson and Franco Colapinto, who are said to have exit clauses at Williams, will be moved as Perez's successors.

Can Hamilton win the internal showdown ahead of a move?

After winning six world titles in 12 seasons, Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes to join Ferrari after the Abu Dhabi race. As in the previous two years, Hamilton has nothing to do with the world title this season. The seven-time world champion took at least his first victory in 945 days at Silverstone, while Hamilton celebrated his second win of the season in Belgium. This means Hamilton now has 105 grand prix wins.

Can Hamilton (left) still pass his teammate?Image: trapezoid

In his final race at Mercedes, Hamilton is targeting a win over George Russell in a stable duel inside. Hamilton currently trails his teammate by two points. It was only the third time Hamilton had admitted being beaten by his team-mate at Mercedes. Russell already has more points in 2022, while Nico Rosberg narrowly beat Hamilton in 2016 at the World Cup and in internal team battles.

Can Sauber avoid this disaster?

Still no points for kicking Sauber. Hinwil Racing faces the threat of a meaningless season for the first time since 2014. There are few signs that Sauber won't end the year with zero results. Zhou Guanyu achieved his best result of eleventh place in the first race of the season.

It would be a miracle if one of the three races finished in the top ten. Sauber has not sniffed the points since its first Grand Prix in Bahrain. It's almost a mockery, but Kick Sauber's only hope is that not enough cars make it to the finish line in the race to be enough to score points.

It's been a season to forget for Kick Sauber.Image: trapezoid

Particularly painful: In a world championship with 20 drivers, two Sauber drivers occupy positions outside the top 20. Zhou is currently ranked 21st, with Valtteri Bottas at the bottom of the table in 23rd. This is possible because of Logan Sargent and Daniel. Ricciardo has been replaced at the team, with Oliver Bellman already used as reserve driver twice this season.