Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 preview: Key F1 talking points
02 December 2025Formula 1 is set for its first Abu Dhabi decider since the infamous 2021 showdown. This year, for the first time since 2010, there are three drivers still in the running for the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship heading to Yas Marina: Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri.
Round 24 of the 2025 F1 season promises a thrilling crescendo to a campaign which has ebbed and flowed throughout the year.
Here are the key storylines ahead of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
A podium finish would be enough for Norris
Despite a frustrating outing in Qatar, Norris arrives in Abu Dhabi with the fate of the championship firmly in his own hands. Sitting on 408 points, he holds a 12-point advantage over Verstappen and 16 points over Piastri.
While McLaren’s strategy error in Qatar saw him finish fourth, the equation for the Briton is refreshingly simple in Abu Dhabi: if he finishes on the podium, he is the World Champion, regardless of what his rivals do.
However, the pressure isn’t insignificant. In the last two Grand Prix, he’s scored just 12 points. Norris is also chasing his maiden title, whereas Verstappen is on the hunt for a fifth. If Lando can keep his head, he can take matters into his own hands this weekend.
Verstappen’s relentless momentum
Max Verstappen’s comeback has been relentless in the second half of the season. The Dutchman has turned around an unprecedented 104-point gap after Zandvoort to just 12 entering the final race.
Buoyed by his unexpected Qatar victory, the four-time Champion isn’t just an outside chance in Abu Dhabi, but a genuine threat to Norris’ title hopes. If he wins at Yas Marina, that applies significant pressure to Lando, forcing him to finish at least third.
Verstappen can still take the title if he finishes in either of the other two podium spots, but that would require Norris to finish eighth if Max were second and ninth if he were third. If nothing else is guaranteed in the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it’s that Max Verstappen will keep fighting until the very last lap.
Piastri needs a miracle
Oscar Piastri heads to the finale as the dark horse. Trailing Norris by 16 points and Verstappen by 4, the Australian sits on 392 points.
His P2 finish in Qatar showed he has rediscovered his rhythm, but the odds are stacked against him. Piastri essentially needs to win – or at the very least finish second – while hoping Verstappen finishes behind him and Norris finishes well down the order.
Piastri understands the position he’s in, stating that things to go in his way, but if we’ve learned anything in the last two races, it’s that anything can happen in F1 and the McLaren driver cannot be ruled out until the chequered flag drops.
The Silver Arrows and the Scuderia: Flies in the ointment
While the spotlight is on the title trio, Mercedes could well decide where the trophy ends up. The Silver Arrows may not have been quick in Qatar, but they have been consistent threats for the podium throughout 2025, so can’t be discounted.
Both George Russell and rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli will be looking to end their season on a high and are free to race without championship constraints. Antonelli, whose error in Qatar aided Norris, has really hit his stride in the last few races of the season, and Russell has won two races this year.
If the Mercedes duo can get amongst the podium places, they could deny Norris the top-three finish he needs, or prevent Verstappen or Piastri from taking the win.
Then there’s the prancing horse to consider. Although Ferrari hasn’t been as strong as Mercedes in 2025, podiums haven’t been out of the question, and the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was one of its most competitive outings.
Either one could present challenges to the title contenders in Abu Dhabi.
Where to watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
Sky Sports F1 will broadcast every session of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix live, covering all the drama of the season finale.
Now TV, meanwhile, offers one-off, 24-hour access for a flat fee, and highlights can be viewed on Channel 4.
