Just nowSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:48pm
Yas Marina circuit
(F1)
This is where the race will be won and lost tonight.
The Yas Marina circuit, which hosted its first F1 race in 2009 and has been the scene of plenty of controversial moments in the past.
Since 2009, the pole sitter has won 11 times out of 17 – including all of the last 10.
Four race wins have come from second spot on the grid and one, in 2012, from fourth.
That might make you think that this is not a very good circuit for overtaking and, you’d be right.
Of the 24 circuits used in 2024, Abu Dhabi ranks 15th in terms of the number of overtakes with 30 in the race.
Fast facts
- First race: 2009
- Number of laps: 58
- Lap distance: 5.281km
- Race distance: 306.183km
- Fastest grand prix lap: 1:25.637 — Kevin Magnussen (2024)
3m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:46pm
It’s almost go time
We’ve just had the United Arab Emirates national anthem and an Emirates airline A380 flyover.
The three championship leaders are standing by the championship trophy.
The grid is packed.
The atmosphere is ramping up.
8m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:41pm
No bonus point for fastest lap any more
Is there not a point for the fastest lap? If so, I imagine that will complicate some of the permutations for the championship?
– PlogP
That would have made things interesting.
But sadly, that doesn’t happen this year – it got discontinued for this season.
12m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:36pm
Lando Norris contemplating what’s ahead
(Getty Images)
13m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:36pm
Max Verstappen’s miracle comeback
(Getty Images)
In August, after the round 13 Dutch Grand Prix, Max Verstappen looked well out of the title race.
He was a whopping 104 points behind Oscar Piastri after his home race and seemingly down and out.
He was 70 points behind current leader Lando Norris.
But since then, he’s been in remarkable form.
In his last eight races Verstappen has won five, claimed one second place and two thirds.
He is now just 12 points behind in the championships.
“I never settle for not good enough,” Verstappen told the BBC this week.
“It doesn’t matter if we finish first, second, or third. I know that I had a really good season, and that’s fine.
“Already being in this fight is a bonus. Even if then we don’t win it, it’s not going to be stinging. Because I know where we lost it and I know that in general we have not been the quickest team.”
17m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:32pm
King maker Piastri?
There has been so much talk about whether Oscar Piastri would help Lando Norris if he needed assistance to win the title.
And Oscar Piastri has said he doesn’t have an answer on whether he would give him a leg up if required.
I would argue that, as a teammate, Piastri is somewhat obligated to do what is best for the team – and in the course of this year he has shown that he is willing to do that, namely giving the place back to Norris after pit-stop-gate in Monza.
So I think, if he’s asked, he will do it.
But only time will tell…
22m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:27pm
Papaya dream? Or Alonso-like nightmare
(Getty Images)
It’s fair to say that McLaren have not had the best of times over the last couple of races.
But they are going to have to be on form with their options today, or risk missing out on the title in its entirety.
They should pay particular heed to the case of Fernando Alonso in 2010.
That was the last time there was a three-way title battle that went down to the wire like this year, incidentally.
Alonso came into the race with a lead over the Red Bull’s of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.
Alonso was in the box seat.
However, a poor pit stop choice by Ferrari meant that he got stuck in the midfield.
As we’ve already said, there’s not a huge amount of overtaking that goes on around here so, despite his impressive speed, he could not get his Ferrari past the pack.
Vettel claimed the race win, and the title.
Hello darkness, my old friend… (Getty Images)
By the way, guess who Alonso’s race engineer was that day.
Current McLaren team principal Andrea Stella.
28m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:21pm
‘I’m sure all this will happen within the boundaries of sportsmanship’
(Getty Images)
So, what is Max Verstappen going to do today?
Winning is not enough though, Verstappen is aware of that.
“I want to win, but I also know that that’s not enough, even if I win,” he told the BBC.
“I just hope on some Abu Dhabi magic that happens behind me.”
Magic? Max is guilty of playing with dark magic at times.
He gave a bit of a nudge to George Russell in Spain earlier this year that cost him 10 seconds and 11 world championship points. Costly.
So what is he going to do today?
In 2016, Lewis Hamilton attempted to back teammate Nico Rosberg into the chasing pack by driving slowly, with Sebastian Vettel lurking.
Hamilton needed Rosberg to finish third if he was to win the title.
It didn’t work.
And, Verstappen needs far more than that to win the title himself, as we’ve just seen.
Norris said he had “no idea” what Verstappen might try.
“I expect everything,” he added.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said he needed to be ready for anything.
“In terms of the options that Max has available to try and place cards, honestly, I’m not too worried,” he said.
“I think we will see some interesting racing, but I’m sure all this will happen within the boundaries of sportsmanship and fairness.”
Verstappen though, just hoped for “an interesting and fun race”.
I’m sure we’ll take that.
(Getty Images)
34m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:15pm
Wouldn’t that be nice…
Evening Simon. The Grand Finale ! Anything can happen tonight, anything at all. Starting chaos, off-track excursions, stewards’ time penalties, tyre/pit strategic errors …… Let’s hope for a great close race where all stay safe, there are no lingering controversies and we end by saying “Yeah – he deserved that win and the championship.”
– Old timer
I have a lingering suspicion that there may be some controversy before the night is out, Old Timer.
I hope I am wrong.
But it just feels like in this Drive to Survive era, anything could happen.
39m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:10pm
What happened last year?
(Getty Images)
Lando Norris won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year.
It was the race victory that gave McLaren the constructors title that year, ahead of Ferrari and McLaren’s first since 1998.
It was helped by an incident that happened at the first corner, when Verstappen, who qualified fifth, made a late dash down the inside of the first corner and took out Oscar Piastri, who started second on the grid.
Verstappen recovered to finish sixth, Piastri 10th, while Norris streaked away to win.
But it meant that Piastri said he would be an interested observer about what’s going to happen at turn one this year.
“Turn one I’m not sure,” he said,
“But I’ll have some [popcorn] handy.”
48m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:01pm
How can each driver win the title?
If you needed that all outlined in a bit more detail, you can read this.
53m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:56am
How can Lando Norris win the title?
(Getty Images)
He is clearly the favourite, with a lead in the drivers championship coming into this final round.
Here’s how the Brit can win the title.
Norris finishes first, second or third:
He will win the title regardless what the others do.
Norris finishes fourth:
He will win if Verstappen finishes second or lower.
It won’t matter where Piastri finishes.
Norris finishes fifth:
He will win if Verstappen finishes second or lower.
It won’t matter where Piastri finishes.
Norris finishes sixth:
He will win if Verstappen finishes second or lower.
He will win if Piastri finishes second or lower.
Norris finishes seventh:
He will win if Verstappen finishes second or lower.
He will win if Piastri finishes second or lower.
Norris finishes eighth:
He will win if Verstappen finishes third or lower.
He will win if Piastri finishes second or lower.
Norris finishes ninth:
He will win if Verstappen finishes fourth or lower.
He will win if Piastri finishes second or lower.
Norris finishes tenth:
He will win if Verstappen finishes fourth or lower.
He will win if Piastri finishes third or lower.
1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:47am
How can Max Verstappen win the title?
Max Verstappen is shooting for a fifth consecutive drivers title.
Can the Dutchman get the job done here, having mounted a comeback for the ages?
Here’s how he can do it.
If Verstappen win the race:
He will win the title if Norris finishes fourth or lower.
It won’t matter where Piastri finishes.
If Verstappen finishes second:
Norris has to finish eighth or lower.
Piastri has to finish third or lower.
If Verstappen finishes third:
Norris has to finish ninth or lower.
Piastri has to finish second or lower.
1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:42am
How can Oscar Piastri win the title?
(Getty Images)
Oscar Piastri has the easiest path to the title – but the hardest to execute.
Here’s how he can do it.
If Piastri wins the race:
Norris must finish sixth or lower and he will win the title.
It doesn’t matter where Verstappen finishes
If Piastri finishes second:
Norris must finish 10th or lower.
Verstappen must finish fourth or lower.
1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:36am
Here come the contenders
1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:30am
‘There’s still belief’: Piastri
(Getty Images)
The three championship leaders are talking now ahead of the drivers parade.
Lando Norris says that he slept “surprisingly good” last night.
“I’m excited. It’s a big moment for all of us,” he says.
“This is what we’ve been waiting for our whole lives.
“There’s no point trying to guess too many things, we’ll just see how it goes.”
As for Oscar Piastri, he still has hope.
“Yeah, there’s still belief, still the hope,” he says.
“There’s a few things that need to happen but it wouldn’t be the first time in F1 history that things have happened.”
He says all he needs to do is to get himself into a position to win the race.
“Win the race, that’s all I can do.”
1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:24am
Grid positions
Here’s how qualifying went yesterday.
It’s a marketers dream – the top three in the championship occupying the top three positions.
(F1)
Here’s how it all went down, and how Piastri was feeling after qualifying.
1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:19am
Oscar Piastri’s humble beginnings
The Oakleigh Go-Kart Racing Club may have one of its alumni claim a world title later tonight.
That’s where Oscar Piastri first developed his love of speed when he was eight years old.
There will be few people prouder than club president Adam Bourke if Piastri gets his moment.
Read all about Piastri’s origin story, here.
1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:12am
McLaren must ‘work together’: Martin Brundle
The Sky Sports coverage has just started, and they have leaped right into it.
Martin Brundle says that the only advantage that McLaren has is for them to work as a pair.
“They’ve got to work as a formation team,” Brundle says.
“They’ve got to be a pair of speedway drivers, and work together.
“That’s the strength McLaren have.
“Red Bull has pole position, Max can probably take the lead into the first corner and control the pace, the strategy.
“So McLaren has to use both their drivers, that’s all they’ve got to spoil Red Bull’s day.”
But, as Nico Rosberg mentions, “Oscar has zero interest in working with Lando.”
Brundle acknowledges that, but says McLaren needs to think carefully.
“I’m sure McLaren want to get both of them into a championship position.”
1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:03am
What time is the race?
Formula 1 fans are no stranger to late nights, and the season finale is no different than usual in that respect.
Here is when the lights will go out in each of Australia’s states and territories:
- 12am AEDT, Monday, December 8: NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas
- 11:30pm ACDT, Sunday, December 7: South Australia
- 11pm AEST, Sunday, December 7: Queensland
- 10:30pm ACST, Sunday, December 7: Northern Territory
- 9pm AWST, Sunday, December 7: Western Australia
