The stage is set for a nail-biting finale to the 2025 Formula One season in Abu Dhabi this weekend with Yas Marina Circuit set to witness a three-way title fight.
Max Verstappen took full advantage of a McLaren blunder to win the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, paving the way for a thrilling battle for the F1 crown with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Verstappen's win lifted him Red Bull's four-time world champion into second place in the title race with 396 points, 12 behind championship leader Norris, who finished fourth.
Pole-sitter Piastri slipped to third in the standings but reduced his deficit to Norris to 16 points. All roads now lead to the season finale in Abu Dhabi where Verstappen has won four times in the past five years. The Dutch driver is now within reach of what seemed an improbable fifth consecutive drivers' world championship.
2025 Abu Dhabi GP race weekend schedule
Thursday, December 4
Media day (times TBC)
Entertainment
7pm: Benson Boone at Etihad Park
Friday, December 5
9am: Formula 4 UAE practice session
11:05am: Formula 2 practice session
12.30pm: Formula 1 hot laps
1.30pm: Formula 1 first practice session
3pm: Formula 2 qualifying session
3.30pm: Formula 1 press conference
4pm: Formula 4 UAE qualifying session
4.30pm: Formula 2 press conference
5pm: Formula 1 second practice session
Entertainment
7pm: Post Malone and Elyanna at Etihad Park
9pm: Keinemusik at Yas Gateway Park; Idris Elba at Garden on Yas
Saturday, December 6
11.25am: Formula 4 UAE first race
1.35pm: Formula 1 hot laps
2.30pm: Formula 1 third practice session
4.15pm: Formula 2 sprint race
5.25pm: Formula 2 press conference
6pm: Formula 1 qualifying session
7pm: Formula 1 press conference
Entertainment
7pm: Metallica at Etihad Park; Calvin Harris at Garden on Yas
Sunday, December 7
11.20am: Formula 4 UAE second race
12.05pm: Formula 1 hot laps
1.15pm: Formula 2 feature race
3pm: Formula 1 drivers' parade
4.44pm: National Anthem
5pm: Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Entertainment
7pm: Katy Perry at Etihad Park
Championship battle
Defending champion Verstappen seemed out of the title race only a few races ago, having fallen 104 points off the lead at the end of August following the Dutch Grand Prix, won by Piastri. Since then, Verstappen has clawed his way back with a run of podium finishes, including five wins.
After two weekends of self-inflicted damage to their drivers' championship ambitions, McLaren are desperate to get their act together having already clinched the constructors' title with months to spare.
While their “papaya rules” ensures equal opportunities for both Norris and Piastri, there is no room for error this weekend.
After losing all their points from the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to a double disqualification, McLaren threw away a bunch more by botching a strategy call in Qatar.
On Sunday, Norris would have clinched his first F1 title with a win with Piastri starting from pole position.
But after an early safety car, McLaren's decision to keep both drivers out backfired badly as Verstappen effectively benefited from a free tyre change in a mandatory two-stop race.
Norris finished fourth, with Piastri placing second.
Another dramatic finale
The F1 drivers' championship has been decided in Abu Dhabi four times in all, the 2021 race being the most famous one of them all.
Widely considered the greatest F1 finale of all time, Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were level on points heading into the race.
Hamilton led for most of the race but a late crash by Nicholas Latifi brought on the safety car. Then came the most controversial moment in modern F1 history. Race director Michael Masi decided to allow only some lapped cars through, setting up a one-lap shoot-out between Verstappen and Hamilton. The Red Bull driver won the race, championship and the constructors' title.
The race resulted in major changes to Formula One rules.
Bigger and better
Saif Rashid Al Noaimi, chief executive of Ethara (organisers of the Abu Dhabi GP), said this year's season finale will be the "biggest and best one yet".
“This is our 17th edition and year on year we refine, improve and enhance. 2025 is going to be the biggest and best Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in history,” Al Noaimi told The National.
“Last year we had 192,000 attendees over the grand prix, 70 per cent from overseas and 50 per cent of those first-time visitors to Abu Dhabi. This year we expect to surpass that based on demand and ticket sales.”
Tickets
There are a limited number of tickets still available. For more information, visit www.abudhabigp.com.
How to watch in UAE
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be shown live on beIN Sports across the Middle East and North Africa.
