Max Verstappen reveals what he needs to win F1 world title in Japan

The Red Bull driver has a 104-point lead to Charles Leclerc with just five races remaining

Max Verstappen insists he needs the “perfect weekend” at the Japanese Grand Prix if he is to claim his second F1 world title at Suzuka.

The Red Bull driver has won 11 of 17 races so far this season and has a 104-point lead to Charles Leclerc with just five Grands Prix remaining.

The 25-year-old will win the World Championship this Sunday if he wins the race and sets the fastest lap, while a race win alone would secure the title if Leclerc finishes lower than second.

There are a possible 138 points available until the end of the season – five race wins at 25 points each, a fastest lap point at each and eight points for the sprint race winner in Sao Paulo.

Yet Verstappen admitted in the pre-race press conference that he wasn’t focused too much on permutations and instead was looking to simply perform to the best of his ability.

“It would be very nice if it happens here but if it doesn’t, it will be even more in favour at the next race,” Verstappen said.

“It doesn’t really change anything - you just try to maximise everything you can.

Max Verstappen insists he needs the “perfect weekend” at the Japanese Grand Prix (Getty Images)

“I need a perfect weekend to clinch the title here but to be honest I am not really thinking about it too much.”

Verstappen needs to score a minimum of eight more points than Leclerc and six more points than Perez to be crowned champion.

He will not be the champion this weekend if Leclerc or Perez finishes ahead of him - meaning he would have to wait until the United States Grand Prix in two weeks’ time.

F1 returns to Japan this weekend for the first time since 2019, when then-Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas won the race. Lewis Hamilton is still looking for his first win of the season as he looks to keep up his record of winning a race in every season he’s competed in Formula 1.