As the Formula 1 calendar heads to its final stretch, check out some of our columnists’ predictions for the weeks to come!
Predictions for the Drivers’ Championship
Samhi Boppana: Max Verstappen
After a masterclass performance in Brazil, where he went from P17 to P1 in the rain, it is hard to deny that Max Verstappen is currently the best driver on the grid and wholly deserving of a fourth consecutive World Drivers’ Championship (WDC). With his win in Brazil, Verstappen extended his lead over his closest competitor, McLaren driver Lando Norris, to 62 points; if he simply places above Norris in Las Vegas, he will clinch the WDC in Sin City. Given the momentum of his recent victory and Red Bull’s dominant performance in Vegas last year, I predict he will cement his fourth WDC next Sunday, but if not, the fact that he only needs to accumulate 24 points over the final three races makes it inevitable that he will once again take the Drivers’ Championship trophy home.
Julia Mendes Queiroz: Max Verstappen
In Brazil, Verstappen roared back to a victory and showed everyone why he is still very much alive in the championship race this year. I couldn’t help but draw parallels to Lewis Hamilton’s Brazil ‘21 win, and wondered whether we would get another nail-biter final race in Abu Dhabi. However, I have to say, it’s looking quite likely that Verstappen will win before lights out in Yas Marina. I’m confident in predicting that the Dutch driver will take his fourth championship home. I just hope that the news cycles will spare us the retirement rumors this time around.
Shirlene John: Max Verstappen
Nothing short of a world-ending catastrophe can stop Verstappen from clinching his fourth World Championship. Over the course of the season, Verstappen was always on it when challenges were thrown his way, and his drive from 17th on the grid to first at São Paulo was a masterclass in the rain. After coming off a weekend to forget in Mexico, Verstappen stepped up to another level — reminiscent of his technical drives in the later half of the 2022 season. He was much more comfortable in the car, and his driving abilities reflected that. With a 62 point lead over Norris, I’m confident that the FIA will crown a champion this weekend. Even I — a self-proclaimed Red Bull hater — can definitely give Max Verstappen his flowers this season.
Predictions for the Constructors’ Championship
SB: McLaren
Despite Verstappen’s dominance this season, Red Bull is a long, long shot for the Constructors’. The team is currently third, behind Ferrari and McLaren, and their Constructors’ hopes have been hindered by the performance of driver Sergio Perez, who did not earn points in the last two races and has struggled to make the most of the car the way his teammate has. In contrast, both of Ferrari and McLaren’s drivers have won races this year and consistently have fought for podium positions — a trend that I foresee continuing for the remaining races.
Between Ferrari and McLaren, who are sitting at 593 and 557 points, respectively, I predict that McLaren will hold on to the WCC. However, Ferrari will make them work for it and surely make it a close contest in Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
J: McLaren
I think the Papayas have had an incredible season and while it is mathematically possible for Ferrari to catch up, I’m quite confident in predicting that Zak Brown and Andrea Stella will lift the Constructors’ Cup at the end of the year. Norris and Oscar Piastri have done a fantastic job of picking up points consistently throughout the year – they have only one DNF between the two of them this year, and yes, it happened in Austria. All that to say, I think there will be a party in Woking after December 8th!
SJ: McLaren
I believe that while McLaren may fall short of clinching the Drivers' Championship this season, the strong performance from both drivers have positioned them as frontrunners for the Constructors' Championship. With their recent streak of podium finishes and an evident edge in car development, this championship is theirs to lose at this point. However, there is an outside chance that Ferrari might edge the Woking-based team, as only 36 points separate the two teams heading into Vegas.
The Sergio Perez Question and the Last Available Seat
SB: Given Perez’s performance this season, I don’t think he will be returning to the grid next year. With Perez gone, I see Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda being bumped up to the main team, opening up a spot on the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team for fan-favorite Franco Colapinto or Red Bull backed junior driver Isack Hadjar from Formula 2. In a season with so much incoming young talent (Ollie Bearman, Kimi Antonelli, Gabriel Bortoleto, Jack Doohan), Red Bull would be wise to start thinking of the future.
J: The Perez contract saga has been an absolutely wild ride, and as I’m writing this, it doesn’t seem to be over yet, as I believe that these final three races will be important in determining whether Perez will return for 2025. Perez’s performance in 2024 has led to growing rumors he may be out of a seat for 2024. Despite a contract extension earlier this year, performances in races such as Hungary and Mexico have validated the rumors. According to the news cycles, there are many ready candidates for his replacement like Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, Franco Colapinto and Carlos Sainz. While I think Sainz is firmly attached to his future at Williams and no longer available, it’s hard to ignore the mounting pressures of academy drivers and external candidates. Nevertheless, recent reports have alleged that Red Bull have approved several new sponsors for Perez in 2025. I think it’s likely he’ll stay on for 2025, but with a great deal of pressure for the beginning of the next season.
SJ: While Perez claims his future is firmly secure at Red Bull, multiple Red Bull sources and the media can’t help but speculate about where the Mexican driver will be next year. For a team that is projected to only finish third in the Constructors’ this year — a major failure after wrapping up both titles last season — such uncertainty surrounding Perez’s position adds another layer of tension to a team already grappling with questions about its car development and internal dynamics. The pressure to regain dominance in 2025 might force Red Bull to reconsider its driver lineup to ensure a stronger pairing with Verstappen. However, I think as Red Bull has already seen a lot of their senior management step away from the team (Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey and Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley), they will opt for stability and continuity and keep Perez on for another year.
Looking Ahead to 2025
SB: In 2025, the final year before the new regulations go into effect, I predict that Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull will once again be the top three. I envision a much tighter and contested title fight than this year, with Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris, Piastri and Hamilton all duking it out for the WDC. Whoever secures the Constructors’ Championship this year (and secures a hefty sum as their prize money) will surely have a better shot at perfecting their car. If Ferrari and McLaren both iron out the problems within their respective teams, specifically as it pertains to race strategy, I can see the teams’ drivers having a solid shot, with Leclerc and Hamilton specifically leading the pack.
J: I’m interested in seeing what the Hamilton x Ferrari collab is going to bring us. Genuinely, it still has not registered that after over a decade, we’re not seeing Lewis Hamilton line up in a Mercedes car. Although I do foresee an intriguing championship race, I want to draw attention to just how much rookie talent we’re going to be seeing next year. I’m actually really looking forward to seeing how Bearman, Antonelli, Doohan and Bortoleto perform; it couldn’t be more of a change from 2024, when we headed into the year with exactly the same grid as 2023. And I have to say, I’m so glad that there will be a Brazilian on the grid again after 8 years; I’m looking forward to watching the sport with my family again!
SJ: As a delusional Ferrari fan, I’m feeling like the 2025 season is shaping for Ferrari to be back at the front again. The prancing horses don’t look like the clown show that they did in 2022, where unforced strategy errors and miscommunication cost Leclerc the championship early in the year. I’m excited to see if the rebuilding efforts of the Scuderia will allow them to finally deliver a car and strategy package capable of consistently challenging Red Bull and McLaren. I’m particularly excited for Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, when the most well-known driver will drive for the most well-known team. Additionally, with a lot of new rookies next year, I’m excited to see how they stack up against some of the more established drivers on the grid.
