Lando Norris leads the F1 World Championship heading to Abu Dhabi
British driver Lando Norris (McLaren) arrives at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last race of the 2025 Formula One season, as the championship leader. With his sights set on his first world title, Norris will face tough competition from his teammate, Oscar Piastri, and the current four-time champion, Max Verstappen (Red Bull), who still maintain their options alive in a season finale that promises to be historic at the Yas Marina circuit.
Norris leads the standings with 408 points, closely followed by Verstappen with 396 and Piastri with 392. McLaren, which already secured the constructors’ championship two months ago in Singapore, now faces the pressure of defining a title that has kept fans on tenterhooks throughout the season.Norris’ Options
At 25-year-old Lando Norris, finishing on the podium is enough to secure the championship. Even a fifth place would be enough if Verstappen doesn’t win the race. If the Dutchman wins, the Briton must finish fourth or better to prevent the four-time champion from retaining his crown.Piastri Seeks Surprise
Australian Oscar Piastri, 24, still has the possibility of becoming his country’s first world champion since Alan Jones (1980). To achieve this, he must win on Sunday and hope that Norris does not exceed sixth place. A second place would give him the title only if Lando finishes tenth or worse and Verstappen does not go beyond fourth.Verstappen in Search of a Comeback
After an irregular start, Max Verstappen resurfaced from the Italian Grand Prix and has won five of the last eight races. The Dutchman arrives on a roll after winning in Qatar and reaching 70 victories in his career, the third-best historical record.
To be crowned champion for the fifth consecutive time, Verstappen will need to win in Abu Dhabi and hope that Norris doesn’t improve on fourth position.A World Cup with a Dramatic Final
The last two Grand Prix added drama to the definition: the disqualification of both McLarens in Las Vegas and a strategic failure in Qatar completely reopened the fight for the title.
In Lusail, Piastri won the sprint, but Verstappen took the main race, while Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Williams) completed the podium. His compatriot Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) finished seventh in Qatar.What’s Coming in Yas Marina
Mexican Pato O’Ward will replace Piastri in Friday’s first free practice session. The tests will continue on Saturday, before the qualifying session that will seal the starting grid for Sunday’s race, scheduled for 58 laps.
It will be only the second time in 15 years that the title is decided between three drivers in the last race. The previous one was in 2010, also in Abu Dhabi.
A Verstappen victory that gives him the title would mean one of the greatest comebacks in Formula One history.
