The astonishing results needed for unprecedented THREE-WAY F1 finale title shootout

Not since 2010 has F1 had more than two drivers head to the season finale with the drivers' title still up for grabs.

That year, Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton headed to Yas Marina with a chance of the title - with Vettel emerging from Ferrari's strategy blunder to steal the crown from Alonso. 

In 2007, the last season with exactly three contenders at the final race, Kimi Raikkonen stole in to pip Hamilton and Alonso. 

In 1974 and 2021, two drivers headed to the finale locked on points, but there is one scenario which could see the unthinkable in 2025.

If, the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, with its Sprint race, falls right, there is a possibility of Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Max Verstappen all heading to the finale locked level on points in a three-way tie. 

The article continues below the tables. 

A three-way tie in Abu Dhabi?

For the unprecedented three-way tie to happen, both Piastri and Verstappen must out-score Norris by 24 points apiece to wipe out their deficit heading to Qatar.

Piastri must start by winning the Sprint, taking the full eight points with Norris non-scoring and Verstappen picking up one point for P8. 

This would leave the standings at 390 for Norris, 374 for Piastri and 367 for Verstappen. 

In the race itself, Norris would need to finish a lowly P9 for two points, coupled with a Verstappen-Piastri one-two. 

That sets up 392 playing 392 playing 392. 

 In the unlikely event this happens, the permutations heading to Abu Dhabi would therefore be simple: whoever of the trio finishes ahead, wins the title. 

But should all three fail to score points at Yas Marina, things get interesting.

Under F1's rules, championship positions are decided firstly by points, and then, if equal, by the number of wins. 

Absurdly, the trio would be locked on seven grand prix wins apiece, meaning the next tie-breaker is required: second-places. And here we have a winner.

If the events of the Qatar GP play out as the table above lays out, Norris would have eight second places to his name.

Verstappen would have five and Piastri four. 

Norris would be the world champion in the first tie in drivers' championship history. The current smallest winning margin is Niki Lauda in 1984, when he defeated McLaren team-mate Alain Prost by 0.5 points to claim his third title.