Preview: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - permutations, track guide, weather, schedule, how to watch, prediction

A championship fight that started at the Australian Grand Prix in March will come to a head in the final race of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

For the first time since 2021, the Formula One driver's championship will be decided in the final Grand Prix, with Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri all harbouring hopes of claiming the top prize.

Race Preview

All to play for in Abu Dhabi

The 2025 season comes down to one weekend, with the two McLaren drivers eyeing their first world title and Verstappen targeting his fifth.

Norris is currently in pole position with 408 points to his name, leaving him 12 points ahead of Verstappen and 16 clear of Piastri.

However, that gap would have been bigger, or even unassailable, were it not for two frustrating weekends from McLaren's perspective.

The team saw both cars disqualified in Las Vegas for excessive plank wear, and while Piastri won the sprint in Qatar, McLaren's strategy threw away the possibility of the win in last Sunday's Grand Prix.

Piastri, who put it on pole, should have won the race with his strong performance, but McLaren's decision to leave both cars out under an early safety car proved costly.

The majority of the grid pitted, including Verstappen, who made full use of the cheap pit stop, knowing that McLaren would struggle to close the gap across the race due to the 25-lap limit imposed for each set of tyres in Qatar.

As a result, Verstappen went on to claim his seventh win of the season to continue his remarkable comeback after being 104 points off the championship just eight races ago.

The Dutchman still has work to do if he is to become just the fourth driver to win at least five driver's championships.

Meanwhile, Piastri needs a lot more to go his way if he is to leapfrog Verstappen and Norris to become the first Australian to win the world championship since Alan Jones in 1980.

As for Norris, he is still in a strong position to be the 11th different British driver to win a driver's championship.

Not only does he have a points advantage, but Norris also knows that he would clinch the title on countback if he finishes level with Verstappen or Piastri.

F1 world championship permutations

How can Norris win F1 title?

Norris will clinch top spot in the standings if he finishes on the podium this weekend. However, a failure to secure a top-three finish will leave him at risk of being overtaken by Verstappen. He will also be at risk of dropping behind his teammate if he finishes sixth or lower.

How can Verstappen win F1 title?

Verstappen needs to collect 25 points for a race win to give him the best possible chance of claiming the championship. The four-time champion will prevail if he wins and Norris finishes outside the top three.

There is a possibility that he could still clinch the crown if he finishes second or third, but he would need a lot to go in his favour.

How can Piastri win F1 title?

The task is much tougher for Piastri, who needs to achieve a top-two finish to have any hope of beating his rivals.

A win will only be enough if Norris finishes sixth or lower, while a second-place finish would require Norris to be 10th or lower, and for Verstappen to be outside the top three.

Track Guide - Yas Marina circuit

First official Grand Prix: 2009

Circuit Length: 5.281km

Number of laps: 58

Lap record: Kevin Magnussen (Haas) - 1:25.637 (2024)

Most race wins: Lewis Hamilton (5)

Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver in the history of this event, having won around the Yas Marina circuit on five separate occasions.

However, this is also the scene of Hamilton's greatest disappointment after he controversially lost out on the title to Verstappen on the final lap of the 2021 Grand Prix.

Four years on, the FIA will be hoping for less controversy as four-time Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winner, Verstappen, battles Norris and Piastri for the title.

Norris won around here in last year's race, which should give him confidence ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix.

After a redesign ahead of the 2021 edition, the track offers more opportunities for overtaking than it once did.

The two DRS zones represent a couple of those opportunities, with the first detection point set after turn four, while the second one is situated just around turn seven.

Abu Dhabi GP schedule

When does qualifying start for the Abu Dhabi GP?

Qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will start at 6pm local time on Saturday, which will be 2pm for those watching from the UK.

When does the Abu Dhabi GP start?

The final race of the 2025 F1 season will get underway at 7pm local time and 1pm in the UK on Sunday

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weather forecast

Saturday

As per the F1 website, it should be sunny for Saturday's crucial qualifying session. The temperature for the evening session should be around 26°C.

Sunday

The weather should remain the same for raceday. There is 0% chance of rain, and like Saturday, the temperature is likely to be in the region of 26°C at the start of the race.

How to watch the Abu Dhabi GP?

Sky customers will be able to watch the championship-deciding race on the Sky Sports F1 channel.

Streaming

You can also watch on Sky Go or on the Sky Sports app. Alternatively, you can still follow the action by buying a NOW TV pass if you are not a Sky customer.

Highlights

There will be highlights of the race on Channel 4 from 6pm on Sunday. You should also be able to see the best of the track action on the Sky Sports F1 or the official Formula 1 YouTube channels.

We say: Norris to win

The onus is on Verstappen and Piastri to chase Norris down, which could force the pair to take risks on track and with their strategy decisions.

That could play into Norris's hands, and after winning in Abu Dhabi in 2024, we think he will draw on that experience to come out on top in the race and in the championship.