Back in August also no body would have been betting a dime on Norris to become the champion.
Maybe the put the answer below in perspective, I am more a Norris fan. But I do respect both other drivers.
Call it bad luck or whatever you want last weeks amateurish strategic call to forgo a pit stop under the safety car cost Piastri the race and protected Norris's lead.
I do think that you do see this incorrect. I do agree that the Papaya rules more have been in favor then for Piastri. But in this case, Piastri did loose the race and Norris lost his first chance to become the World Champion.
I can understand with a lot imagination that they didn't want to call Piastri in because they weren't sure what Max would do. But in the case of Norris, they should have called him in. In that case, he would have ended probably on the second place maybe good enough to be crowned next week. Now it can still go to all three of them.
There could be so many great scenarios next Sunday. Suppose Max leading 5 laps before the end, Piastri second, Russell third and Norris fourth. Would they give Piastri the order to give his postions to Norris. Norris would be third then, good enough to win the title.
But hey, we do have 66% chance that some Flemish blood will win the title, so for me preferably Norris then Max, if both fail I will grant it to Piastri, who did took major steps in performance.
Last weekends race was 57 laps and tyre regulation stipulated tyre changes at 25 or less laps. The crash happened on lap 7 so it was the right call even if Max stayed out as 2 sets of tyres meant 50 laps and by not pitting they had to do 3 pit stops at an avg of 26 seconds versus 16 seconds of the safety car. The double stacking would have put Norris back in the pack. I still think it was the worst call of the season thus far. I do not think Piastri will give up a place to hand the title to Norris especially with Norris always saying he wants to earn the title and not be given it.
This weekend should be good whoever wins it.