Formula 1: Sergio Perez facing elimination in Japan

Sergio Perez is one of two drivers who could be mathematically eliminated from winning the 2022 Formula 1 world championship in the Japanese Grand Prix.

Three of the five drivers who entered this past Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay Street Circuit still mathematically in contention to win the 2022 Formula 1 world championship remain in contention to do so.

One of those three drivers is the winner of this 59-lap race at the 23-turn, 3.146-mile (5.063-kilometer) temporary street circuit in Marina Bay, Singapore, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

Perez’s second win of the year brought him to just two points behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in second place in the driver standings, though he still sits 106 points behind teammate, points leader, and reigning world champion Max Verstappen.

Perez had been nine points behind Leclerc, who finished in second place, and 125 points behind Verstappen, whose five-race winning streak ended with a seventh place finish.

But Sergio Perez could be eliminated in this coming Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit.

Once this 53-lap race at the 18-turn, 3.609-mile (5.808-kilometer) Suzuka Circuit road course in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan comes to an end, there will be just 112 points on the table for each driver.

This race is the 18th of 22 on the 2022 schedule, so there will be four races remaining upon its conclusion. Race wins pay 25 points each, and an additional point is on the table each weekend for the driver who runs the race’s fastest lap. There is also still one more sprint qualifying race remaining on the calendar, and the winner of that earns eight points.

Verstappen already owns the tiebreaker over Perez, having won 11 races this year. Even if Perez wins all five of the remaining races on the schedule, his win total for the season will only jump to seven.

So if Perez falls to 112 or more points behind Verstappen following the Japanese Grand Prix, he will be mathematically eliminated from championship contention.

He must avoid being outscored by six or more points by his teammate in this race. If he can do that, he will remain in contention heading into the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, October 23.

The only way he can guarantee that this doesn’t happen is by winning. Even with a second place finish and fastest lap, he would still end up losing six points to Verstappen if Verstappen wins.

The Japanese Grand Prix is set to be broadcast live from Suzuka Circuit on ESPN beginning at 1:00 a.m. ET this Sunday, October 9. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now if you haven’t already done so!