STAR FORMULA 1 PREVIEW: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025

After 23 rounds, 22,000 corners, 7,875 kilometres, 4,890 miles, and 1,375 laps, this year’s F1 World Drivers’ Championship will be decided this weekend in Abu Dhabi, writes WILLIAM KEDJANYI.

For the first time in 15 years, we are seeing a three-way finale for the drivers’ title, with McLaren aces Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri battling the legendary Max Verstappen for this year’s title.

That is a scenario that has looked most unlikely at various points during the year, with Oscar Piastri streaking clear in the summer after Norris’ engine failure at Zandvoort before Norris’ resurgence since then and Verstappen’s charge, fueled by Red Bull’s rejuvenation of the RB21 along with some of the finest drives of his career to boot and McLaren mistakes including a double disqualification for plank wear in Las Vegas and last week’s decision not to pit under a lap seven safety car in Qatar, something that handed Max Verstappen his seventh win of the season whilst costing Oscar Piastri victory and Lando Norris a possible podium.

Now all three contenders head to the finale here hoping to take one of the biggest prizes in sport.

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2025 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Yas Marina Circuit, United Arab Emirates
All coverage live on Sky Sports F1, Sky Go & NOW TV – times in UK time (GMT)

1️⃣ Free Practice 1: 09:30–10:30, Friday 5 December
2️⃣ Free Practice 2: 13:00–14:00, Friday 5 December
3️⃣ Free Practice 3: 10:30–11:30, Saturday 6 December
⏰ Qualifying: 14:00–15:00, Saturday 6 December
🏆 Race: 1pm, Sunday 7 December

🇦🇪 STARSPORTS.BET ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX MARKETS 🇦🇪

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Fight For The Title 🏆 

Driver / Car / Points:
Lando Norris 🇬🇧 (McLaren) – 17 podiums, 7 wins, 408 points
Max Verstappen 🇳🇱 (Red Bull) – 14 podiums, 7 wins, 396 points
Oscar Piastri 🇦🇺 (McLaren) – 15 podiums, 7 wins, 392 points

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How the title can be won 🧮

🇬🇧 Lando Norris – ? with starsports.bet

For Norris, the task – on paper – is simple. If he finishes first, second or third, he will win the world championship – it doesn’t matter where his rivals finish.

If he doesn’t finish on the podium but does finish ahead of both Verstappen and Piastri, he also wins the title.

Any other scenario for Norris to win the championship requires him to finish within 12 points of Verstappen in Abu Dhabi and within 16 points of Piastri.

However, if any two of the leading drivers are level on points after the final race then countback comes into play. In that case, the driver with the most race wins this season – all three are currently level on seven – will be crowned champion. If that remains level then it would go to second-place finishes, which Norris leads on and cannot be caught.

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🇳🇱 Max Verstappen – ? with starsports.bet
Verstappen’s clearest route to the title is for him to win in Abu Dhabi and Norris to finish fourth or worse.

If he doesn’t win, he needs to out-score Norris by at least 13 points while also ensuring Piastri does not out-score him by five points or more.

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🇦🇺 Oscar Piastri – ? with starsports.bet
If Piastri wins in Abu Dhabi and Norris finishes sixth or worse, then Piastri wins the title.

If Piastri finishes second, Norris would need to finish in 10th place or worse and Verstappen fourth or worse for him to be champion.

Any other scenario for Piastri to win the title requires him to finish 17 points ahead of Norris and five points ahead of Verstappen.

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Pre-Weekend Prediction 🗣️

On paper, needing just a podium – something which Norris has managed 17 times already this year (a number that should be higher) – Lando Norris has a first world title in his hands, and his recent form has been worthy of a title charge. A clear second best in Austin, he was dominant in Mexico, comfortably best in Brazil, and was a clear second before disqualification in Vegas, before his fourth in Qatar.

The worry for backers and supporters of Norris is the pressure that will be on his shoulders and the reversal of fortune in Qatar, where Oscar Piastri was faster (not a huge surprise given circuit characteristics), but also much smoother through a weekend where Norris was beaten to turn one by George Russell in the sprint and Max Verstappen in the Grand Prix and also missed his final qualifying lap for the main race.

Abu Dhabi – the scene of a dominant victory for Norris that saw him seal the Constructors’ for McLaren last year – is an ideal setting for the championship leader, who is without a doubt more mentally resilient this year. However, even allowing for those facts, the need for a simple podium takes away appeal from odds of 9/4 with starsports.bet before the almighty pressure on his qualifying and start to boot.

Max Verstappen has won 5 of the last 7 races and arguably has driven at his best ever level given the early season issues of the RB21, which he overcame to take phenomenal wins at Suzuka and Imola. Upgrades made to the car since Monza have seen him take wins in Baku, Austin, Vegas and Qatar whilst if it hadn’t been for a late safety car then he would have salvaged the runner-up position from a very difficult Mexico weekend .

Verstappen is currently 5/4 to take victory with starsports.bet, something which the odds and data tells us has to happen if he’s to make it an incredible five here. He isn’t blessed with the fastest car here, although he’s been no less than the second quickest driver in the autumn to here, and had the pace advantage on Norris – if not Piastri in clean air – in Qatar.

If it hadn’t been for a power slide in the last corner he would have been closer to the top pair in qualifying (Norris beat Piastri to pole) last season and as a four time winner here he loves this circuit, so his position as favourite is understandable for all that the market has factored this in. The 13/5 on Verstappen to win the world title appeals more as better value than the 5/4 for the race win, given the pressure on Norris and McLaren should he take pole or reach the lead at any point.

Oscar Piastri may rue his dip in form since a dominant victory in Zandvoort but his pace in Qatar was nothing short of phenomenal across the weekend and he could well be overpriced. Barring incident the title is highly likely to be beyond him, but he arguably has the least pressure of the three in what should be the fastest package and is the biggest price of the three title contenders.

Piastri’s Abu Dhabi record is skewed by the turn 1 tagging he had with Verstappen last year (he recovered to finish 10th after going to the back of the grid and a penalty), but he was just two tenths off Norris here last year and comes into this finale as an improved driver who arguably has less mental baggage here. 3/1 on him for the finale appeals as value.

A strong showing from Mercedes is expected with Kimi Antonelli perhaps overpriced given his recent form against George Russell, whilst the sooner the season ends the better for Ferrari, with the SF-25 undriveable in Qatar despite the fact they took points from the main event.

Isack Hadjar has enjoyed a fine debut season with the Racing Bulls and can say farewell before he leaves to join Max Verstappen at Red Bull with a points finish. Hadjar should have finished sixth but for a late failure of the wheelcover in Qatar, and finished eighth on the road in Brazil and Vegas beforehand. The Racing Bulls has been one of the most impressive midfield cars and the team with the best vibes on the grid could enjoy a double points finish with Liam Lawson overpriced at 11/4 for a top ten finish to boot. Lawson has scored points in two of his last three races and if having a clean start in Vegas it might well have been three (sixth on grid).

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🚦 Track Guide:

A varied circuit with opportunities for overtaking, the main one of which is the 1.2km straight between Turns 7 and 8, surrounded by slow-speed corners which allow for overtaking manoeuvres. That is also a key part of the second sector where straightline speed comes into play, before a tight and twisty closing sector. Turns 15 and 16 into 17 test the cards with large amounts of lateral load before the home straight – and the final turn will test track limits just as much as for the crucial medium speed left hander that is turn 1.

The first DRS zone has a detection point in the braking zone for Turn 5 and an activation point just after the exit there – the second zone has a detection point at the exit of Turn 7 and an activation point a little further along the straight after Turn 7.

Track evolution is important here, and the main setup choice will be downforce – lower for higher topspeed, or medium-high for sector 3 in particular, to make time through the technical sections. Balance is crucial along with grip, so it’s no surprise that McLaren went so well here last year. Mercedes also had a strong package and shouldn’t be forgotten.

Here’s a sim replica lap from Red Bull’s esports World Champion Jarno Opmeer and content creator Tom McCluskey.

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Weather 🌥️

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 – FP1 AND FP2
Conditions: Cloudier than the past days with high level clouds. Light north-westerly wind. FP1: 28°C // FP2: 26°C
Maximum temperature expected: 28°C
Minimum temperature expected: 22°C
Chance of rain: 0%

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 – FP3 AND QUALIFYING
Conditions: Sunny weather with high level clouds. Light north-westerly wind. FP3: 28°C // Q: 26°C
Maximum temperature expected: 28°C
Minimum temperature expected: 22°C
Chance of rain: 0%

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7 – RACE
Conditions: Sunny weather. Moderate northerly wind. Race start: 26°C
Maximum temperature expected: 28°C
Minimum temperature expected: 22°C
Chance of rain: 0%

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RECOMMENDED BETS – Pre Race Weekend

BACK Max Verstappen Drivers’ Champion 1pt at 13/5 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Oscar Piastri Race Winner 1pt at 3/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Isack Hadjar Points Finish 2pts at evens (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Liam Lawson Points Finish 1pts at 11/4 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

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PROFIT/LOSS (DEC 2025): +1.30 points

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