Red Bull, meanwhile, are 54 points adrift of McLaren and 25 points away from Ferrari ahead of the last four rounds, but technically a weekend of maximum points in Sao Paulo – with McLaren scoring less than five points and Ferrari less than 34 – could see them get back into the lead.
Mercedes are also still mathematically in with a chance, albeit it a very distant one, as they sit some way off the top three in the standings via a lonely fourth place.
READ MORE: From Stewart and Lotus to Hakkinen and Ferrari – All 11 times the drivers’ and constructors’ titles were shared between rival teams
Other dramatic drivers’ title battles from history and how they played out…
While overhauling Verstappen could be quite the feat for Norris or his rivals, history has showed us on more than one occasion that launching an against-the-odds title comeback can be done – as the examples below prove…
1976 – James Hunt seals the title after memorable battle with Niki Lauda
The 1976 season is one that stands out in F1 history, with it being known for the championship battle that played out between James Hunt and Niki Lauda. It was Lauda who looked on course for the title early in the campaign, having built a 23-point lead entering into Round 10 of 16 at the German Grand Prix.
However, the Austrian suffered serious burns in a horrifying fiery accident at the event – before making a remarkable recovery that saw him return just two months later. Lauda still led Hunt by three points ahead of the season finale at Suzuka, but torrential rain in the race led to the championship leader withdrawing, meaning that Hunt’s third place was enough to seal the title for the Briton.
