Max Verstappen facing elimination in Imola

While it is pretty much a foregone conclusion that the 2020 Formula 1 world championship is going to be won by soon-to-be seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is technically still mathematically in the title fight.

But that may soon not be the case. In fact, it may not remain the case following this Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

The 23-year-old Dutchman sits in third place in the driver standings through 12 of the 17 races on the revised schedule, 94 points behind Hamilton for the lead (256 to 162).

A maximum of 26 points are on the table for each driver in each race, given the fact that race victories are worth 25 points in themselves and the fact that a bonus point is awarded to the driver who runs the race’s fastest lap.

So following this 63-lap race around the 21-turn, 3.05-mile (4.908-kilometer) road course in Imola, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Verstappen could potentially be as many as 120 points behind Hamilton with just four races to go in the season.

In order to win the championship, Verstappen outscore Hamilton by one more point than his current deficit of 94 points, due to the fact that Hamilton has secured the wins tiebreaker. So he must outscore him by 95 points over the course of the season’s final five races.

With five races remaining this season, Hamilton has won eight races while Verstappen has won one, meaning that Verstappen cannot pass him in that category.

So with just 104 points on the table for each driver over the course of the four races after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Verstappen will be eliminated from championship contention if Hamilton outscores him by 10 in this race.

Source: beyondtheflag.com; gpblog.com