F1 Championship Finale: Who’s Favorite, Who’s Underdog?
With just four races remaining in the Formula 1 World Championship, we’ve reached the final stretch—two Grand Prix events in North and South America, followed by the Middle Eastern finale.
Constructors’ Cup: McLaren’s Dominance vs Three-Way Battle
The Constructors’ Cup winner has long been decided—McLaren secured their position. However, an intense three-way battle has emerged for second place, representing not just prestige but also $20-30 million in additional prize money and stronger negotiating positions with sponsors.
Drivers’ Championship: Verstappen Under Pressure
The drivers’ championship offers even greater intrigue—McLaren’s drivers haven’t shaken Max Verstappen from their tail, while simultaneously competing fiercely against each other for position.
Pre-Final Team Power Rankings
We’ve analyzed team performance and positioning during the post-European segment to compile our updated top-10 rankings. Previous positions are shown in parentheses.
1. McLaren (Previous: 1)
Until the Mexican Grand Prix, the recent dominators faced persistent questions about why Red Bull continued actively updating their car and winning, while the Woking-based team seemed unresponsive. The answers pointed to varying track conditions, setup errors, driver performance issues, and strategic missteps—isolated shortcomings mistaken for trends.
Mexico put everything in perspective: when McLaren is in form and delivers a complete package, they’re genuinely difficult to beat. Norris’s 30-second gap at the finish represented the largest advantage of the season, achieved without recent car modifications. All it took was securing pole position, maintaining the lead at start, and finding clean air.
The challenge for current McLaren lies in their inconsistency. The car’s performance level still significantly outpaces the rest of the field, but team coordination fluctuates and fails to match technical standards. Lando and his crew demonstrated what a championship-contending weekend should look like, but McLaren struggles to maintain this level consistently.
Whether it’s Norris or Piastri failing to deliver qualifying laps, conservative strategic approaches to qualifying exits and race tactics, or consecutive slow pit stops due to equipment technical issues—the vulnerabilities are numerous.
So why does McLaren remain leader? The car’s performance level and potential remain exceptional, and both drivers for the current Constructors’ Cup holders are delivering. The championship factors haven’t changed—the advantage has simply narrowed from what could be described as “half a car length ahead” to “leading by a front wing.”
Fortunately, upcoming tracks suit McLaren perfectly: in Brazil, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, the orange machine should contend for the front starting row.
2. Red Bull (2)
Verstappen’s team remains the only top-four contender actively improving their car even as the season concludes. The updates are working—Max grows increasingly confident behind the wheel, and under these conditions, he’s capable of miracles.
Even when balance proves initially elusive, the car demonstrates remarkable ability to synchronize with changing track conditions throughout race weekends.
The American Double-Header Challenge
The upcoming back-to-back races in the Americas present unique challenges. Teams must adapt quickly to dramatically different climates, track surfaces, and altitude conditions while managing tight turnaround schedules.
Middle Eastern Finale: The Championship Decider
The season concludes under Middle Eastern lights, where temperature variations, track evolution, and strategic tire management often determine championship outcomes. These circuits have historically produced dramatic season finales.
Driver Dynamics: Internal Team Battles
Beyond the championship fight, several teams face intriguing internal competitions. Teammate rivalries are intensifying as drivers jockey for position within their teams and secure their status for next season.
Technical Development Race
While some teams have shifted focus to next year’s car, others continue bringing updates in pursuit of final championship positions. This development divergence creates fascinating performance variables for the remaining races.
Final Predictions and Championship Outlook
With four races remaining, mathematical possibilities still exist for several championship scenarios. However, current form and track characteristics suggest McLaren maintains the constructor advantage, while the drivers’ championship remains fiercely contested.
The final races will test not just car performance but team strategy, reliability, and driver consistency under maximum pressure. Every point becomes precious as the season reaches its dramatic conclusion.
