There are season finales, and then there are moments when Formula 1’s history seems to hold its breath. The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is one of those rare occasions. For the first time since the infamous 2021 showdown, the world championship will be decided under the Yas Marina floodlights. But this time, it’s not a two-horse race. It’s a three-way duel between Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri—each with a plausible shot at immortality. If you’re not feeling a tingle down your spine, check your pulse or your Wi-Fi connection.
- The Calm Before the Storm: 2025’s High-Stakes Showdown
- 2024 vs. 2025: How the World Turned Upside Down
- The Circuit: Where Legends Are Made (and Sometimes Broken)
- The Title Scenarios: Maths, Mayhem, and McLaren’s Moment
- The Human Drama: Pressure, Sacrifice, and the Ghosts of 2021
- The 2025 Contenders: Strengths, Weaknesses, and the Weight of History
- Lando Norris: The Nearly Man on the Brink
- Max Verstappen: The Relentless Hunter
- Oscar Piastri: The Quiet Assassin
- Strategy, Tyres, and the Unpredictable: What to Watch For
- The Fans, the Atmosphere, and the Weight of Expectation
- Waste a Bit More Time
The Calm Before the Storm: 2025’s High-Stakes Showdown
Let’s set the scene. The 2025 season has been a marathon—24 rounds, 20 countries, and a relentless calendar that’s tested drivers, engineers, and the patience of even the most devoted fans. Now, as the sun sets over Yas Island, the championship is still up for grabs. Norris leads with 408 points, Verstappen lurks 12 points behind, and Piastri is just 16 adrift. The permutations are dizzying, the tension is suffocating, and the ghosts of title deciders past are whispering in every garage.
For those who enjoy a bit of nostalgia with their adrenaline, this is the first time since 2010 that more than two drivers have entered the final race with a mathematical chance at the title. Back then, it was Vettel, Alonso, Webber, and Hamilton. This year, it’s a new generation, but the stakes are just as high.
“For the first time since 2021, the title will be decided in the final race in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri are still alive in the fight for the world championship, marking the first time since 2010 that more than two drivers have a chance in the finale.”
— NBC Sports Bay Area
2024 vs. 2025: How the World Turned Upside Down
Last year, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a coronation for McLaren. Lando Norris took a commanding victory, with Ferrari’s Sainz and Leclerc trailing in his wake. McLaren clinched the Constructors’ Championship—a feat that would have seemed laughable during the Red Bull hegemony of the early 2020s. Red Bull, for once, was not the center of the universe.
Fast forward to 2025, and the narrative has only grown more dramatic. McLaren, once the plucky underdog, is now the team to beat. Their MCL39 is described by fans and pundits alike as a “mega-monster”—a car with no discernible weakness, a rare beast in the hybrid era. Red Bull, meanwhile, has lost its aura of invincibility. Verstappen is still a force of nature, but the team’s strategic missteps and a resurgent McLaren have left them playing catch-up.
Ferrari? Still Ferrari. Glorious, occasionally brilliant, but ultimately a supporting act in this year’s drama. Lewis Hamilton’s much-hyped move to Maranello has, so far, been more opera than overtaking.
“Compared to last year, car characteristics have changed – for example, McLaren was not the market leader in high speed (Red Bull was), Red Bull was poor in slow corners, Mercedes was good only with low track temps – all of which has changed this year. Plus, they have all improved their cars, especially McLaren, who have turned a great car from 2024 into a mega-monster in 2025. The McL39 has no weakness, NIL.”
— F1Technical.net
The Circuit: Where Legends Are Made (and Sometimes Broken)
Yas Marina Circuit is a paradox. It’s modern, glamorous, and occasionally criticized for processional races. But when the stakes are high, it has a knack for producing drama. The 2021 finale is still the stuff of nightmares and memes. The 2010 and 2016 deciders were chess matches played at 300 km/h. This year, the circuit’s reprofiled layout—faster, more flowing, and with genuine overtaking opportunities—could be the perfect stage for a title fight.
The track’s defining features remain: a long back straight for DRS-powered lunges, a technical final sector around the hotel, and the ever-present challenge of changing light as the race transitions from dusk to night. Tyre degradation, especially on the rears, will be a factor, and strategy could be the difference between glory and heartbreak.
“The Yas Marina circuit is now faster and more likely to produce exciting racing than in the past, even though it is still a medium downforce circuit where overtaking is quite tricky. The crucial section for moving up the order is the middle one, which ends in the wide turn 5 hairpin and then the 1.2 kilometre straight where DRS can be activated.”
— Ferrari.com
The Title Scenarios: Maths, Mayhem, and McLaren’s Moment
Let’s talk numbers. Norris can clinch his maiden title with a third-place finish, regardless of what Verstappen or Piastri do. Verstappen needs to win and hope Norris finishes fourth or lower. Piastri’s path is narrower: he must win and hope Norris finishes sixth or lower. The permutations are as complex as a Ferrari pit wall strategy, but the stakes are simple—win, or go home empty-handed.
| Driver | Points | Title Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Lando Norris | 408 | Champion if 3rd or higher, regardless of rivals |
| Max Verstappen | 396 | Must win, Norris 4th or lower |
| Oscar Piastri | 392 | Must win, Norris 6th or lower |
“Norris enters Abu Dhabi in position to win his first world championship — but Verstappen and Piastri are well within striking distance. Norris can clinch the title with a third-place finish regardless of his competitors. Verstappen and Piastri will need some help, even if they win.”
— NBC Sports Bay Area
The Human Drama: Pressure, Sacrifice, and the Ghosts of 2021
If you think the drivers are the only ones feeling the pressure, think again. The teams are walking a tightrope. McLaren, for all their speed, have shown a knack for strategic self-sabotage—see Qatar, where a botched call under the safety car handed victory to Verstappen. Red Bull, once the masters of calm execution, have looked rattled at times. And Ferrari, well, they’re Ferrari.
Oscar Piastri faces an additional hurdle: he’ll miss FP1 as Pato O’Ward takes his seat, fulfilling the rookie practice requirement. It’s a minor inconvenience, but in a weekend where every lap counts, it’s another twist in the tale.
“Oscar Piastri will miss first practice for the 2025 F1 title decider at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He will head into qualifying on Saturday with one fewer hour of practice compared to Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.”
— Crash.net
And then there’s the specter of 2021. Formula 1’s credibility took a battering that night, and the sport has spent four years trying to rebuild trust. Norris himself was vocal about the farcical ending. This time, all eyes will be on the stewards, the race director, and the rulebook.
“Norris called out F1 over its farcical 2021 finale. Will it get it right this time? Formula 1 has a final-round championship decider for the first time since 2021 – which was one of its most controversial races ever.”
— RaceFans.net
The 2025 Contenders: Strengths, Weaknesses, and the Weight of History
Lando Norris: The Nearly Man on the Brink
Norris has been the nearly man of his generation—quick, consistent, but always a bridesmaid. This year, he’s been relentless, combining raw pace with a newfound ruthlessness. His victory here last year was a statement; this year, it could be a coronation.
“Next year is my year” is what Lando Norris said after winning in Abu Dhabi last year. This radio message may well come true after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this year. He’s been manifesting…ever since.”
— Kunal Shah on X.com
Max Verstappen: The Relentless Hunter
Verstappen is chasing a fifth consecutive title. He’s won the last two races, dragging Red Bull back into contention through sheer force of will. If there’s a driver who can thrive under pressure, it’s Max. But this year, he’s the hunter, not the hunted.
“Max Verstappen took a perfectly executed Qatar win… to take title fight to final round showdown.”
— FIA.com
Oscar Piastri: The Quiet Assassin
Piastri has been the revelation of 2025. Calm, methodical, and devastatingly quick, he’s turned McLaren into a two-headed monster. His path to the title is the narrowest, but if he pulls it off, it will be one of the great upsets.
“Oscar and Lando finished second and fourth, respectively, last time out in Qatar, meaning we head into the season finale in Abu Dhabi first and third in the Drivers’ Championship. Lando is top of the standings on 408 points, ahead of Max Verstappen on 396 and Oscar on 392.”
— McLaren.com
Strategy, Tyres, and the Unpredictable: What to Watch For
Pirelli brings the C3, C4, and C5 compounds—familiar territory, but the cooler night temperatures and Yas Marina’s abrasive surface mean tyre management will be crucial. Last year, a one-stop was the norm, but with the championship on the line, expect teams to gamble if a safety car appears.
McLaren’s Achilles’ heel has been strategy. They have the fastest car, but can they avoid tripping over their own shoelaces? Red Bull, meanwhile, will be ready to pounce on any mistake. Ferrari, with nothing to lose, could play spoiler.
“The biggest impact is on the car’s balance and tyre performance. A setup and strategy that works well in the day, might not be as effective in the evening, when temperatures are much cooler. Tyre performance is heavily dependent on temperature, while a cooler track surface also decreases grip and increases the likelihood of understeer – all of which teams will need to compensate for when setting up the car.”
— McLaren.com
The Fans, the Atmosphere, and the Weight of Expectation
Yas Marina has its critics, but as a venue for a title decider, it’s hard to beat. The sunset, the marina, the hotel—Formula 1’s answer to a Hollywood set. The grandstands will be packed, the world will be watching, and somewhere in the paddock, a nervous engineer will be praying to the gods of telemetry.
“Watching F1 cars wind their way around this special circuit while the sun sets in the background is a mightily enjoyable way to close out the season. The Yas Marina Circuit presents a stunning setting in which to go racing, with the track weaving around the marina and underground, beneath a hotel, but it’s not only aesthetically pleasing, it’s also built for wheel-to-wheel racing.”
— McLaren.com
Waste a Bit More Time
If you’ve made it this far, you’re either a true fan or you’ve lost the remote. Either way, here are some links to keep you busy until the lights go out on Sunday:
- My Weekend Preview + Predictions For The 2025 F1 Abu Dhabi … (YouTube)
- WEEKEND SETUP: Qatar Analysis | Abu Dhabi Preview (YouTube)
- Norris called out F1 over its farcical 2021 finale. Will it get it right this time? (RaceFans.net)
- Kunal Shah on X.com: “Next year is my year” is what Lando Norris said after winning in Abu Dhabi last year.
- Preview: The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – presented by OKX (McLaren.com)
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 preview: Key F1 talking points (Silverstone.co.uk)
- Why Oscar Piastri must sit out FP1 in crucial Abu Dhabi title … (Crash.net)
- F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025: How to watch, schedule, predictions (NBC Sports Bay Area)
