Tokyo, Oct. 7 (US): Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc knows this. So does anyone who follows Formula One. No need for calculators.
Red Bulls’ Max Verstappen is set to win his second consecutive drivers title, and Sunday will likely come with rain expected at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
Friday’s two practice sessions took place in steady mist, although Saturday’s qualifying is expected to dry up at the classic number eight circuit in central Japan.
“I realistically think Max will be champion, if not this weekend he will be very, very close,” said Leclerc, who trails Verstappen by 104 points with five races remaining – including Suzuka. Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez is late 106.
If Verstappen wins on Sunday, and also takes the bonus point for the fastest lap, that will give him 26 points (25 points for the win, 1 point for the fastest lap) and he is the champion.
He can also win the season title with a lower score, depending on how the others finish. If not, you’ll almost certainly be settling down in two weeks at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, according to the Associated Press.
Verstappen has dominated all season with 11 wins in 17 races. The Singapore Grand Prix a week ago was the exception, with Verstappen finishing seventh. He called it “a very chaotic weekend” on the street circuit.
Winning at Suzuka would be special. The track is operated by auto manufacturer Honda. Red Bull and his brother Team AlphaTaura run on Honda-designed engines, and the race if officially called the “Honda Japanese Grand Prix”.
Honda officially withdrew from Formula 1 after last season, but still supports both teams. In addition, Honda’s name will appear on Red Bull’s paint this weekend. It could signal a return to F1 although nothing is official.
Fans are expected to reach 190,000 over the weekend, with 90,000 of them on Sunday. Although Japanese fans are among the sport’s most enthusiastic, capacity limits make crowds smaller than they are at many of the races that attract over 300,000 on the weekend.
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