Scenario tipped where Max Verstappen would lose the F1 title

A scenario has been explained which would cause Max Verstappen to miss out on this season’s F1 championship.

The Red Bull driver is at the top of the standings at the summer break, 78 points clear of second-placed Lando Norris.

Although Verstappen remains favourite to claim a fourth title in a row, he has hit an uncharacteristic winless run where McLaren and Mercedes have taken over.

Verstappen must focus on collecting points sensibly rather than being desperate to win every grand prix after the summer break, he has been told.

“He’s got to take the fifth-places, if that’s all the car is good for,” Tom Clarkson claimed on the F1 Nation podcast.

“Instead of trying to force something that might lead to an accident with another car, or result in a spin.

“When the performance isn’t there, he needs to get whatever is available on the table.

“That might be the case in Singapore, that circuit highlighted the deficiencies of the car. If that’s the case again this year, he will need to turn up and get what is possible.

“If he does that, he’ll win the championship. If he goes for the win every time, when it’s not there, and it leads to a collision with another car, then he won’t win the championship.”

Damon Hill predicted: “My gut reaction is that it will be a tall order to stop Max Verstappen in a Red Bull.

“I know everyone is catching, but I think he has shown that he’s prepared to fight for every inch of the track to keep those victories. And he’s prepared to pull victories out of the hat.

“He has shown slight frustration. He has been quite critical of the team, and wants to see more action.

“He’s having to work a lot harder than he’s been used to.

“He will have to fight really hard for this championship.

“Whether they can come up with more pace for him, on the development of the car? I’m sure they can. But he will still be chased hard all the way through until the end.”

McLaren's Hungary decision questioned

Norris might have been even closer in the championship to Verstappen, but for McLaren’s team orders decision in Hungary.

His teammate Oscar Piastri won the Hungarian Grand Prix after race leader Norris was told to let him through.

Hill questioned: “Why would you deprive the closest rival to [Verstappen] - Norris - seven points?

“I am sorry but this is what we want to see, a challenge to the guy at the front. If it’s going to be close… it could be seven points closer!

“If Lando solves his ‘getting off the line’ issues, and other issues, which have deprived him of a lot of points, then maybe it will be a close fight.

“But Oscar has a right too. The people who score the most points as a team are Mercedes, over the last few races. I’d like to see it close up, we want the thrilling finale.”

Clarkson claimed: “Verstappen won’t score the most amount of points in these last 10 races. I think that will be a Mercedes or a McLaren driver.

“But he’ll have done enough to win the championship. He hasn’t won a race in four races but he has extended his lead by banging in consistent points finishes, that’s all he needs to do.”

Hill said about the newfound competitiveness at the front of the F1 grid: “It is impossible to call because the trajectory has been noticeable, the plateauing of Red Bull and Verstappen has been dramatic.

“I don’t know whether it’s the cost cap or the restrictions - it has to be partly that. But, of course, it’s no good just saying ‘we will let everyone catch up’.

“If they don’t know what they’re doing, they won’t catch up. They are earning those positions, earning the right to challenge for victories.

“McLaren notably, and the recovery of Mercedes has been dramatic since James Allison announced ‘how could we have been so stupid!’

“They’ve got their tweak to make their car work.

“Ferrari are the only ones in a vortex, going around in circles. But it is coming.”