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After failing to grab the first opportunity to win his second championship and seal the title at Singapore Grand Prix, Red Bull's Max Verstappen will have yet another opportunity to do so at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend. While Verstappen is a runaway favourite at this moment, things can turn quickly in sport and he would want to claim the title at the earliest, not giving an inch to his rivals

In order to claim the championship in this season, the 25-year-old does not only need to win the Japanese GP which is making a comeback after COVID-19 but also needs to hope that Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who happens to be his nearest rival, finishes lower than second. However, if Verstappen wins with the fastest lap bonus, the position of his nearest rival becomes irrelevant and he will emerge as the champion.

Statistically speaking, Verstappen is currently 104 points ahead of Leclerc and will need to extend that lead to 112 points to finish the title race with four races to go. This will not be the first time, if Verstappen indeed manages to achieve this feat, that a F1 racer will be crowned champion at the Japanese GP. In fact, as many as 12 Formula One world champions have sealed the deal here.

Verstappen will clinch the title in Japan GP in case any of the following permutations and combinations:

VerstappenLeclercPerez
1st with FL bonus pointPosition irrelevantPosition irrelevant
1st3rd or lowerPosition irrelevant
2nd5th or lower without bonus point4th or lower without bonus point
2nd with bonus point5th or lower4th or lower
3rd7th or lower6th or lower
3rd with bonus point6th or lower5th or lower
4th8th or lower without bonus point7th or lower without bonus point
4th with bonus point8th or lower7th or lower
5th9th without bonus point or lower8th or lower without bonus point
5th with bonus point9th or lower8th or lower
6thOut of the points9th or lower without bonus point
6th with bonus point10th or lower9th or lower