“The drivers need to focus on what they control, which is turn one,” says pundit Jamie Chadwick.
Will it be another P1 for Piastri?
“I sure hope so, that’s the plan,” he says.
How are things between him and teammate Norris?
“I mean, the same as always … we are fighting for a win, and a championship, we’ll race each other like we always have done.”
How is Norris feeling?
“Feeling all good,” he says cheerfully, striding past Brundle.
“This could be ugly,” emails Bill. “Norris isn’t the greatest starter in the world, and he and Piastri could take each other out on the first corner. It wouldn’t surprise me. Plus, Verstappen will have his elbows out so far, they’ll be like wings. His aggressiveness gets to Norris at the best of times. But if Lando can get away cleanly, then the race and probably the championship are his. That certainly seems to be what the team wants. So maybe a strategically sloppy pitstop for Piastri? Nah … they would never do that.”
Thanks Bill.
How is Max Verstappen?
“All good. Like always.”
You always look so relaxed, says Brundle. Are there any nerves?
“Not at all. Just want to have a good time out there. Hopefully we’ll have a good one. We’ll do our best.”
Better to be the hunter than the hunted, I suppose.
“Very good! Excited!” says Novak Djokovic, when asked how he is.
Has he been sending some tennis balls down to Zak Brown?
“Yes I have. He’s been good! He’s been terrific!
“He’s been very relaxed, but now it’s about laser focus … I’m trying to soak it all in, the energy is incredible.”
Are there things he can take from F1 to tennis?
“The first thing that strikes me is, how well it’s organised, how many things that are combined with sport and entertainment, to leave everybody speechless.”
And with that he’s gone.
“I’m so happy to be here,” says Maya Jama, before revealing she was obliged to wear trainers on the grid due to a ban on open-toed shoes. “I’m with Red Bull today, hopefully we can make it to No 1, but we’ll see.”
“Good luck to everyone, hopefully it’s decided tonight… what an event, what an occasion. These are the things you can do when you’re retired,” says Steven Gerrard to Brundle.
“I wouldn’t want anyone near me in the tunnel before a big game,” Rio Ferdinand adds of the drivers rubbing shoulders on the start/finish straight. “But these guys are used to it.”
“The Netflix documentary opened so many eyes, including my own,” says the actor and comedian Kevin Hart of ‘Drive to Survive’. “It’s wonderful to be here.”
John Brewin has West Ham v Liverpool here, by the way:
If Norris outscores his teammate by four points and finishes ahead of Verstappen, he’s the champ.
Who could forget 2021, when Hamilton v Verstappen went right down to the wire?
The famous Martin Brundle grid walk is coming right up!
“I have pipped Oscar Piastri throughout,” says the Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft of the possible destiny of this season’s drivers’ title. “You know what a stubborn old man I am. I’m not changing now.”
Monaco, Las Vegas, Singapore. The list of pitstops on Lando Norris’ road to the top of Formula One is like a luxury travel agent’s catalogue.
So when I was asked to trace the young man’s journey ahead of a weekend in which he could become the first British champion driver since Lewis Hamilton, my hopes were high.
As the taxi pulled up outside the Clay Pigeon Raceway in Dorchester, however, my excitement was taken down a few gears.
It may seem an inauspicious place to blood the talent of those who will become some of the most glamorous, fiery competitors in sport, but here, in the shadow of an industrial estate not far from Yeovil, is where a growing number of Formula One stars are made.
Mathematically, Norris could finish as low as eighth and still be champion. But we are unlikely to need permutations that complex.
Personally I think Norris looks and sounds pretty chilled, and he remains confident of sealing the title, despite the drama of last week’s disqualification.
You can feast your eyes on yesterday’s sprint race and qualifying blog here:
Zak Brown, McLaren CEO, says it’s “business as usual”.
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, said something about trying to get the best possible start.
What do you think will happen today? You can email me.
Lando Norris will be world champion for the first time if he wins today. Though given the drama of recent weeks, most notably the disqualification of both McLarens from the Las Vegas GP, it would be little surprise if the drivers’ title goes down to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi next week.
More importantly for the destiny of the title, Piastri won yesterday’s sprint race, trimming Norris’s title lead to 22 points and taking pole position: so he is strongly fancied to take the chequered flag later. Max Verstappen of Red Bull isn’t out of contention, either, but will need the cards to fall in his favour.
We can dig into the permutations a bit more but if Norris is at least 25 points ahead of Max Verstappen in a few hours, and 26 or more in front of his teammate Oscar Piastri, he is champion … could we see a new name on that illustrious list today?
Lights out: 4pm UK time.
