The 2025 Formula 1 World Championship is heading for a thrilling finale — and it’s Max Verstappen who’s keeping the title fight alive. With just four races remaining, three drivers are separated by only 36 points. What once looked like a McLaren-dominated season has suddenly turned into a nail-biting, three-way battle, with Verstappen’s relentless form keeping the championship alive until the final checkered flag.

The Red Bull superstar has clawed back an incredible 68 points in the last five Grands Prix, transforming what seemed like a lost cause into a genuine title challenge. In Mexico, he came close to closing the gap even further, but Charles Leclerc’s spirited defense for Ferrari — clinging onto second place — and a late Virtual Safety Car denied him a few precious points.

Still, Verstappen remains a looming threat behind McLaren’s battling duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, quietly chasing what would be an astonishing fifth consecutive world title.

Norris Back on Top, Piastri Falters  McLaren’s drivers continue to push each other to the limit — often with fierce but fair competition. In Mexico, it was Norris’s turn to shine, converting pole position into a commanding victory that vaulted him back to the top of the standings by just one point over Piastri.

For the Australian, however, the momentum has faded. Since Monza, Piastri’s form has dipped — and his fifth-place finish in Mexico, behind the impressive young Haas driver Oliver Bearman, only deepened concerns about his consistency.

Once a dominant force earlier in the season, Piastri now faces mounting pressure to rediscover his spark for the final sprint. Otherwise, he risks becoming what Italian commentators call “a beautiful unfinished story.”

Norris, meanwhile, has silenced his critics. After the midseason chaos — including a collision with Piastri in Canada and a costly engine failure in the Netherlands — he’s rebuilt his campaign through precision and maturity. His recent performances have been a masterclass in recovery, and his one-point lead proves that persistence pays.

But while the two McLarens have taken turns at the top, Verstappen’s trademark consistency has brought him back into the picture. The Dutchman rarely misses an opportunity, and the momentum seems to be shifting in his favor once more.

A Classic Finale — Without Ferrari This title race has all the makings of a legendary finale — reminiscent of Kimi Räikkönen’s 2007 championship triumph, when Ferrari snatched the title from Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso by a single point, or the dramatic 2010 showdown that saw Sebastian Vettel crowned the youngest world champion in F1 history.

This year’s fight could join those ranks — but with one painful difference: Ferrari aren’t in it.

It’s an irony not lost on fans. After finishing runner-up to McLaren last year in the Constructors’ standings and entering 2025 with high hopes and bold promises, Ferrari have been a major disappointment. Neither Charles Leclerc nor Lewis Hamilton have managed a single victory this season.

For Hamilton, the situation is even more frustrating — zero podiums in the gps  in his debut year with the Scuderia. For a seven-time world champion, it’s a hard situation to digest .

Looking Ahead. As Formula 1 enters its final stretch, the championship remains a thrilling, unpredictable battle among Norris, Piastri, and Verstappen. But while the front three prepare for a fight that could go down in history, Ferrari are left searching for answers.  After a complicated season, the message from Maranello is clear: Ferrari must rise again.
Having Ferarri in the fight is good for the whole sport, not only for the women and men in Red.

Photo Credit: Scuderia Ferrari