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Three-way battle for F1 championship at Yas Marina
The 2025 Formula 1 season will conclude this weekend in Abu Dhabi with Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri locked in a tight contest for the drivers' title. Norris enters the finale leading by 12 points over Verstappen and 16 over his McLaren teammate Piastri.
Current standings and recent form
Norris holds a narrow advantage as the trio arrives at the Yas Marina Circuit, a venue known for dramatic season finales. While Norris appears the favorite on paper, Verstappen's recent dominance-five wins in the last eight races-adds unpredictability to the showdown.
McLaren has already secured the constructors' championship, amassing 800 points with six races remaining. Their car has been the fastest on average this season, boasting a 0.274-second advantage in qualifying pace over the year and 0.203 seconds in the last eight rounds.
Track dynamics favor different strengths
The Abu Dhabi circuit presents a mixed challenge. McLaren excels in long, high-speed corners, while Red Bull holds an edge in straight-line speed and shorter, tighter sections. Verstappen has won the last four Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, though his 2021 victory over Lewis Hamilton remains controversial due to late-race rule changes.
Norris, however, won here last year, and Piastri-though in his third F1 season-has shown consistent pace, particularly in the first half of 2025.
Team strategies and pressure points
McLaren faces a delicate balancing act with two drivers in title contention. The team has pledged to let Norris and Piastri race fairly unless one falls out of championship contention. However, team orders could come into play if Verstappen threatens to clinch the title.
Red Bull, meanwhile, relies almost entirely on Verstappen, who has scored over 92% of the team's points this year. His experience-having won four consecutive titles-could prove decisive in high-pressure moments.
"It shows everything is possible. We have nothing to lose, so I just go there and try to maximise the car,"
Max Verstappen, after the Qatar Grand Prix
Historical context and psychological edge
Verstappen's pursuit of a fifth straight title would match Michael Schumacher's record. For Norris, this represents his first championship opportunity, while McLaren hasn't won a drivers' title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
McLaren's relative inexperience in title fights has occasionally shown, such as their strategic misstep in Qatar, where they failed to pit under a safety car and lost a potential win. Red Bull, by contrast, is a "ruthless, finely honed winning machine," per the report.
What each driver needs to win
The championship will hinge on race-day outcomes. If Verstappen wins, Norris must finish third or better to claim the title. Piastri's path is more complex, requiring both Norris and Verstappen to falter while he maximizes his own result.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix takes place from December 5-7, with live coverage available on BBC platforms.
