The Formula 1 championship is entering a thrilling phase as Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Max Verstappen vie for the title, echoing some of the sport’s most memorable three-way battles. Heading into the São Paulo Grand Prix, Norris leads Piastri by a single point, while Verstappen, after a late-season resurgence, remains 36 points behind.
Seventy-five years ago, a similar three-way contest unfolded in the inaugural F1 season, with Juan Manuel Fangio, Nino Farina, and Luigi Fagioli all driving the dominant Alfa Romeo 158. Fangio entered the final race at Monza ahead, but a gearbox failure handed the championship to Farina. The stakes and drama of such multi-driver battles remain unchanged, even if the era and technology are vastly different.
McLaren’s Norris and Piastri have battled all season under a fair team approach, allowing both drivers to compete without favoritism. This has kept the championship open and provided Verstappen with an opportunity to stay in contention, turning what was once a teammate duel into a three-way fight.
History offers lessons on the intensity of such contests. In 1986, Nigel Mansell, Nelson Piquet, and Alain Prost went into the final race of the season in Adelaide tied in points, with Prost ultimately taking the title after a series of misfortunes for the Williams drivers. Similarly, in 2007, Kimi Räikkönen capitalized on a late-season incident at Interlagos to snatch the championship from Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
McLaren leadership has emphasized leaving the outcome in the hands of their drivers, accepting the risk that comes with a close internal fight. The team’s strategy relies on drivers managing their duel while keeping Verstappen behind, knowing that one mistake or DNF could dramatically alter the title race.
With four races remaining, every decision, pit stop, and on-track maneuver could be decisive. Norris, Piastri, and Verstappen are aware that in a three-way contest, nothing can be taken for granted. History shows that late twists, mechanical failures, and strategic gambles often decide the outcome. This F1 season promises high drama and a title fight worthy of the sport’s storied past.
