Formula 1: Max Verstappen title permutations at the Singapore GP

Max Verstappen gets his first chance of winning a second world this afternoon at the Singapore Grand Prix, though it’s going to take some doing with him starting from P8 for today’s race.

Max has won 11 races so far this year, which is well over half of the campaign up to this point, and he has also won five Grands Prix on the spin, underlining the sheer dominance he and his Red Bull car have enjoyed since the early stages of the season.

Indeed, at one point he was 46 points off of Charles Leclerc, after round three in Australia at the start of this season, but since then it has almost been one-way traffic, with the Dutchman now 116 points clear of the Ferrari man and cruising towards a second crown, looking set to win it in far easier fashion than he did last year’s.

He can win the championship as early as this afternoon then, though it is likely he may have to wait a little longer and seal the deal in either Japan or the United States later on in October, with him starting on row four of today’s grid, whilst Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez are P1 and P2 for lights out this afternoon.

To do it today, Max must climb through the field and win and then hope those behind him in the standings have very poor races given their respective starting spots.

If he wins without setting the fastest lap and picking up the related bonus point, Leclerc must finish ninth or lower for Max to win the title, with Sergio Perez fourth or lower without taking the fastest lap or fifth or lower with the fastest lap.

If Max wins the race and takes the fastest lap himself, though, then Leclerc must finish eighth or lower with Perez fourth or lower for the title to head the Dutchman’s way.

Ultimately, the Red Bull driver needs to outscore Leclerc