This weekend, three of Formula One’s finest will battle it out for the honour of becoming world champion.
For Max Verstappen, this situation is not new – he is as experienced as it gets when it comes to titles in the sport. Four titles to his name so far, and it’s a matter of how many he wins by the time his career is up.
In terms of the other two, this is, pretty much, completely new territory. It is the closest either have come to the coverted crown by far, with Lando Norris’ threat to Verstappen last year minor enough that it was over with two races remaining.
Norris leads by 12 points. Verstappen is second, with Oscar Piastri a further four points behind. It’s all to play for.
A top three finish for Norris in Abu Dhabi will guarantee the title. If Verstappen wins and the Brit doesn’t achieve that, the Dutchman will be champion. It’s the same for Piastri.
So how do they weigh up going into the most important Formula One race in years? Who has the edge on the field, and how high are the lives they are living off it? Here, we compare them.
Net worth
Formula One drivers live the high life – no doubt about it. Travelling the world every year, driving fast cars and earning millions while doing it. What more can one ask for?
It’s common knowledge that the sport is one of the richest on the planet and that translates to the drivers too. And being the best sees you earn the best.
Reigning and defending champion Verstappen, according to celebritynetworth.com, is worth a cool £150.1million. Not bad. He’s also reported to be picking up £50m a year with Red Bull, who he is contracted with until the end of 2028.
That’s one area where the McLaren boys are miles behind. Not much to argue with – Verstappen is two years older than Norris and four years older than Piastri, and has been racing since 2015. Norris has been racing since 2019, and Piastri only since 2023. Their net worths are £52.6m and £30m respectively.
Norris seems to have edged ahead of George Russell in terms of becoming Britain’s new Formula One golden boy as Lewis Hamilton’s career winds down, and is currently picking up £15.5m a year compared to Piastri’s £4.6m.
The former’s contract runs out in 2027, and Piastri could leave McLaren in 2028. With the way their careers are going and the progress of the team, however, both could be locked in for long stays in orange.
WAGs
They aren’t married yet, but Verstappen and Kelly Piquet, model and daughter of three-time world champion Nelson, are very much loved up.
The couple got together in 2020, after Kelly and Russian driver Daniil Kvyat – who also have a child together – separated.
Five years on, Max and Kelly have welcomed their first child, with a daughter, Lily, born earlier this year. The couple are not yet engaged either, but, asked earlier this year about marriage, Verstappen said: ‘Not yet, but it will probably happen soon.’
Piastri and Lily Zneimer, meanwhile, are childhood sweethearts. They met at Haileybury, a boarding school in Hertford – after Oscar moved there to pursue his Formula One career – and have been together since their second year of high school.
Every now and again, the couple pop up on social media together, with Piastri recently showing Lily around his hometown of Melbourne. Lily is an engineering graduate, and is often seen alongside Piastri at races with a laptop in hand. She is said to dream of a career in Formula One.
And then we have Norris. The Brit’s love life has been the focus of many Formula One followers. He and Magui Corceiro – are they on, or are they off?
Well, for now, they are on. Their relationship first hit the headlines when Corceiro, 23, was spotted driving with Norris in the back of his Fiat in 2023 – with the actress previously known as the long-term girlfriend of former Chelsea forward Joao Felix.
Reports have suggested that they have been on and off for the best part of two years. Corceiro had also been seen at Formula One races cheering on Norris alongside his family, and has also been snapped kissing the world championship contender.
Speaking on their relationship in September, Norris told Vogue: ‘We met a few years ago, but we were never really together until more recently.’
When asked what is ‘special’ about his lover, he replied: ‘Everything. She’s someone I can very much be myself with. Very down to earth and she lives quite a crazy life as well. It’s nice when we can both just [rent] a boat for the day or go home together and chill.’
Upbringing
Lando may be doing well for himself, but his family have done pretty well for themselves too.
His dad, Adam, helped build one of Britain’s biggest pension companies in Hargreaves Lansdown, which earned him big money and, in turn, helped Norris through childhood.
One of four siblings, Lando attended Millfield School, a private boarding school in Somerset, and is regarded to have had a privileged upbringing. Having started karting lessons aged six – funded by his dad – he left the school to pursue his racing career, with a manager and trainer paid for as he chased the dream.
Verstappen, meanwhile, was born into the game. His dad and race regular Jos Verstappen was a Formula One driver, meaning he started young – aged four – and knows little else.
Max received private tutoring while he chased his version of the dream. His mother, Sophie Kumpen, was also a karting racer, though she has since split from Jos.
Piastri, though Australian, was brought up in England from the age of 14 – as aforementioned, he attended boarding school, where he met his partner.
His father, Chris, owns an automotive software company, and Oscar actually started out racing remote-controlled cars competitively before taking up driving himself. Chris is said to have served as a mechanic in Oscar’s karting days, with his company thought to have spent more than £4m on sponsorship throughout Oscar’s career.
Cars
Piastri joked this week that he is trying to catch up to his team-mate in terms of his car collection. And, while it’s hard to know exactly how many cars each driver has, each star’s collection is as mega as you’d expect.
Norris’ Monaco car collection is headlined by a McLaren P1 (£866,000). He also has a McLaren 765LT Spider (£300,000), a Lamborghini Miura (£457,000) and a Porsche Carrera GT (£507,000) in his collection.
As for his team-mate, Piastri drives a McLaren Artura (£222,000), given to him when he joined the team in 2023. A hybrid car, it goes from 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds and has a top speed of 250mph. Not bad.
The Australian also has a McLaren 720S (£180,000), described by McLaren as ‘a light and strong supercar shaped by the forces of nature.’ Nice.
Verstappen, meanwhile, as you’d expect, boasts a large collection of cars too. They include a ABT Audi RS6 Legacy Edition (£250,000), a Renault R.S. 01 (£258,000), and an Aston Martin DBS Superleggera (£320,000). The current world champion opts for a more refined collection of cars, gathering European supercars from over the years worth a reported £6m in total.
Different cars for different weathers, I suppose.
Property
It will come as little surprise that all three of these drivers reside in a tax-free Monaco, as a number of Formula One drivers these days do. Norris’ apartment is reported to have a seaside view, with a private gym and intense security. He moved there four years ago.
Before that, he had lived in Surrey, near the McLaren team factory. He posted on Instagram when he moved: ‘Say hello to my new home! The place isn’t finished yet but I’ll be living here in Monaco when I’m not in the factory or at the track next year. I get the keys at the end of next month so will hopefully be moving in soon. Really excited for this next chapter!’
Earlier this year, meanwhile, he is reported to have purchased a London flat worth £16m. It is said to have glass walls in the heart of central London with an unobstructed view of London’s skyline.
Verstappen lives in a rented Monaco penthouse worth £13.4m. He has also bought a villa at the Thermal Club in California and land in Comporta, Portugal, with Kelly.
And as for Piastri, it’s a luxurious apartment in Monte Carlo. He has lived there since moving from the United Kingdom in 2024.
He still has a family home to return to in Melbourne, though, with his father buying a £2.85m mansion in the Carrington estate in Lysterfield, Melbourne.
So far this season
Verstappen’s dramatic win in Qatar last week brought all three drivers equal in terms of wins this season, with seven apiece – meaning 21 of the 23 races so far have been won by one of these three men.
Piastri flew out the blocks early doors, winning four of the first six races of the season. Verstappen had to fight without the support of a team-mate, with Liam Lawson lasting two races before losing his seat and Yuki Tsunoda proving to be not much better, if at all..
Verstappen has won five of the last eight, to propel himself into title contention again and put the pressure on the McLaren duo.
Norris, meanwhile, enjoyed a good middle part of the season, picking up victories in the likes of home grand Prix Britain and adopted home Grand Prix Monaco.
Back-to-back wins in Mexico and Brazil meant the title appeared to be heading his way, but things then went somewhat south.
It was in Qatar last time out that the title race was blown wide open with Verstappen winning on a weekend when Norris could have sealed the deal McLaren finished second and fourth – a week after both drivers were disqualified in Las Vegas for their rearmost skid wear being below the minimum thickness.
Norris now sits on 408 points, with Verstappen on 396 and Piastri on 392. He who holds his nerve will reign victorious once and for all – but will it be repeat once again, or a new name on the trophy?
Read more
- Can Lando Norris maintain his razor-thin lead over teammate Oscar Piastri and dethrone Max Verstappen from F1 supremacy with just four thrilling races left?
- Will Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris maintain their lead, or can Verstappen snatch the championship crown by season’s end?
- Is Max Verstappen poised to snatch the F1 title as he pulls neck-and-neck with Piastri?
- Is the reign of Max Verstappen under threat with his odds slipping and incredible competition from Oscar Piastri and others this season?
- Can Lando Norris claim supremacy over teammate Oscar Piastri and four-time champion Max Verstappen in the thrilling 2025 F1 championship battle?
