Abu Dhabi GP: The ultimate preview for the 2025 F1 finale

Round 24 of 24 - the finale.

What a final race it's going to be in Abu Dhabi as the sun sets on another Formula 1 season.

In the modern era of F1, it's rare for the title to come down to the final race, and even more unusual for it to be a three-way title fight into the final race ... except that time in 2007 ...

As Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri bid for their first world titles, they are up against a more experienced world champion in Max Verstappen, who won't give up and has been working hard to reduce the points gap in the second half of the season as he looks for title number five.

Here's what's to come this weekend ...

Weather forecast - hot

The weather should be similar to last weekend's conditions. Abu Dhabi is expected to be hot with highs of 27C (81F).

Friday is forecast to be cloudy, with Saturday and Sunday mostly sunny.

Jump to: Circuit history & stats | Predictions | How to watch | Championship standings

This week's must-read

F1 TITLE: How did we get here? Recapping the season race-by-race as we approach the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

PERMUTATIONS: Breaking down all the scenarios and what each driver needs to do to win at Abu Dhabi.

2007 RERUN? Does McLaren's Qatar GP blunder bring back memories of how they lost the title to Kimi Rikknen in 2007? It's looking close, Laurence Edmondson looks at what the history books tell us.

RED BULL 2026: Red Bull have announced their 2026 driver line-up, as Isack Hadjar is promoted and Yuki Tsunoda is dropped. Arvid Lindblad, 18, will join Racing Bulls alongside Liam Lawson.

RED BULL NO.2: What's it like being Max Verstappen's teammate? Yuki Tsunoda joins a host of other talented drivers who are highly unlikely to be going back to the team in the foreseeable future. There is proven race winner Daniel Ricciardo -- as well as Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Liam Lawson. A timeline of Red Bull No. 2 failures.

REGRETS: Red Bull has issued a statement saying it "sincerely regrets" online abuse levelled at Kimi Antonelli following the Qatar Grand Prix after two of its team members suggested the Mercedes driver let Lando Norris overtake him towards the end of the race.

UNLAPPED: For more analysis, listen to the latest episode of ESPN's F1 podcast Unlapped with F1 writers Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson.

How the championship looks

Lando Norris's lead has been cut to just 12 points to Max Verstappen coming into the final race.

Verstappen's race win in Qatar saw him leapfrog Piastri to second in the standings, with Piastri now four points adrift.

A maximum of 25 points are available for the winner, which means Norris needs to finish third or higher to win the championship. For other scenarios, check out our F1 permutations piece which breaks down every scenario and what the three drivers need to do to win.

As for a breakdown of podiums and wins, this is how it looks for the top three:

1. Norris (408 pts) - 17 podiums, 7 wins

2. Verstappen (396 pts) - 14 podiums, 7 wins

3. Piastri (392 pts) - 15 podiums, 7 wins.

- View the rest of the driver and team standings
- How many points for a race win? How the F1 points system works

Circuit stats and history

In 2006, Yas Island, next to the city of Abu Dhabi, was developed from a blank canvas, with the ambition of having a racing circuit firmly on the roadmap. Three years later, at a reported cost of $1.32 billion, Yas Marina Circuit joined the F1 calendar and has hosted grands prix every year since.

The circuit has hosted more season finales than any other in F1 history, with tense championship showdowns in 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2021, and it is contracted to continue as the final race until 2030.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Circuit: Yas Marina Circuit; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

First F1 race: 2009

Lap record: 1:25.637, Kevin Magnussen (2024)

Laps: 58 laps of 5.2km

Most wins: Lewis Hamilton with five (2011, 2014, 2016, 2018-2019). Other winners on the current grid:

• Verstappen with four (2020-2023)

• Norris (2024)

Most poles: Hamilton with five (2009, 2012, 2016, 2018-2019). Other pole sitters on the current grid:

• Verstappen with four (2020-2023)

• Norris (2024)

What makes it special: The de-facto end to the season these days, the day-to-night visual of Abu Dhabi always creates a special feel, while climactic championship battles -- like 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2021 -- carry that added element of drama, joy and despair under the fireworks that greet cars crossing the finish the line.

What the drivers say about it: "The first few turns are quite good, but the rest of it is s---." -- Kimi Rikknen

Where to watch from: West grandstand. Overlooking the Turn 6/7 chicane at the end of the long back straight, this is where the majority of overtaking moves take place throughout the race.

What happened last year?

Norris won from pole to help McLaren win their first constructors' championship since 1998, but Ferrari kept McLaren sweating until the end, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finishing on the podium.

"Woooohoooohooo! Congrats everyone," Norris said on the radio after the race. "Incredible. Well done everyone, so proud of you all. Thank you so much, it's been a special year."

Norris then signed off with: "Next year's going to be my year too."

Who will win?

This could be the hardest race of the year to predict because of what's at stake.

On paper is one thing, but F1 title showdowns have a history of throwing up random chaos. McLaren should be good in Abu Dhabi but they've made a habit of getting in their own way lately and you can imagine them tripping over themselves when the pressure is at its peak.

Let's call it -- Verstappen wins the race, Piastri is second ... and Charles Leclerc finishes third, with Norris just missing out on the title in fourth, meaning we get a 2007 re-run and Red Bull snatch the title from under McLaren's noses.

It's a bold prediction and goes against the favourite but if it happens - you read it here first.

How to watch the GP

For fans in the U.S. only, watch live on ESPN and ESPN+ -- view the schedule.