Verstappen, Norris, Piastri: F1 set for three-way title fight in Abu Dhabi

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, will take the title of Formula One’s champion on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, aiming to overthrow Max Verstappen, who is currently the Dutchman’s fifth consecutive title.

Verstappen is the only one who will need to place on the podium at Yas Marina if Norris wins the three-way showdown, which could feature a high drama showdown between Norris and Verstappen.

None of the three contenders have come back strong in the final season before the start of a new era for the sport and the expansion to 11 teams with new rules and engines.

All seven victories are cumulative, capable of growing that total, and prepared to deliver a heart-pounding sunset finale that might have been straight out of Brad Pitt’s most recent F1 blockbuster.

All race retirees have experienced the agony of crashes or collisions.

Verstappen’s incredible fightback, McLaren’s incredible season, and Verstappen’s incredible season.

At the end of August, Norris, who won the first game of its kind in Melbourne in March, bounced back with a hot streak while the Australian was in trouble.

After losing a title fight to Verstappen, he won in Abu Dhabi last year.

“This season has been fantastic,” she said. Our car is incredible. Everyone on the team is very talented. Thank you to each and every one of our supporters. He declared, “We have one more race coming up, and we will give it everything.”

Piastri, who led from Saudi Arabia in April to Mexico in October, is now 16 points behind his teammate. He had hoped to win Australia’s first championship since Alan Jones 45 years ago.

The driver who finished third overall going into the final round has triumphed twice this century, and he needs to win or finish second.

Verstappen, who finished 104 points behind Piastri in late August, could have made the most astonishing comeback of all, joining Michael Schumacher as the only drivers to win five straight.

After winning in Qatar last weekend and moving on from Las Vegas on the weekend before that, the Dutchman grinned, “We stay in the fight until the end.”

He has won four straight victories at the anti-clockwise circuit in Abu Dhabi up until last year, which has made it a happy hunting ground for him.

Norris would need to be eliminated for a second victory to be successful.

Due to poor planning, McLaren both had their vehicles banned in Las Vegas and lost the podium win for Piastri and Norris in Qatar.

The runaway constructors’ champions, who have the second-highest single-season points total in history, must be able to secure their first title double since 1998.

Prize money and paddock pecking order

Others will be chasing prize money and points to advance their position in the paddock pecking order while the title drama unfolds.

Given that George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are both heavily reliant on Verstappen, Mercedes and Red Bull are in a fight for second place.

Yuki Tsunoda, who previously worked for Honda and Aston Martin, will make his final appearance at Red Bull, having been given his seat by Frenchman Isack Hadjar for the following season.

While Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, is facing his first season without even standing on the podium, Ferrari will only have one chance to win a race in 2025.

With Nico Hulkenberg starting his 250th start for the factory Audi team, Sauber are only five points adrift of eighth-placed Haas, who are ultimately seven points adrift of Aston Martin.

Alpine, owned by Renault, are battling Renault engines for the final time before switching to Mercedes power. One last attempt is required for Argentinian driver Franco Colapinto to earn his campaign’s first point.