We should know the identity of the 2025 drivers’ champion within three days after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
I say “should” because we’ve been here before for showdowns that weren’t decided when the checkered flag fell. But if there’s one outcome I’m sure every F1 fan expects, it’s that this is a championship determined solely by the actions of the teams and drivers involved.
While 2021 may not bring back the memories many would like to relive, this event marked the beginning of Verstappen’s continued title run, which could extend to five titles if things go well on Sunday.
Just the fact that Verstappen is still in the frame is quite remarkable, but even though we ended up here, of the three drivers who could win the title, he is the only one who can say that his life will not change due to the result of the weekend, and you believe in him.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are both aiming for their first championships, and being able to call yourself world champion is life-changing. How much of a title he will win is up for debate, but it is certainly the lowest ranking Verstappen has from a chance of winning four titles to a chance of winning five titles. But don’t doubt his desire to win. The way he keeps reminding the two McLaren drivers how little he thinks about the idea of winning the title is a tactic in itself, telling them that he feels no pressure given his position and that the onus is on them not to miss this year.
“Spent time with my daughter, figured out some things for GT3 next year, figured out some things for the sim team as well, planned for next year…” Verstappen said of this week’s preparations. “So, to be honest, before I came here it was all very easy.
“No, my parents are not here. My father is rallying in Africa. And my mother, I don’t think it was planned. I also had no intention of competing for the title until the end! So here I am.”
“After Zandvoort, I think everything came to a bit of a standstill. My mother is happily living at home with the dogs. I get to watch a lot on TV anyway.”
However, a lot depends on Verstappen’s result. Verstappen could become the second driver in history to win five races in a row, tying Michael Schumacher’s record with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004. And if the new regulations, especially the power unit project, prove to be a challenge for the team, it will probably be his last chance to succeed at Red Bull.
Juxtaposing Verstappen’s reaction with that of both Norris and Piastri, who will have their parents and friends in attendance for the final race, Verstappen is trying to make this weekend seem less important than the others. But as Fernando Alonso, a veteran of multiple world championship fights, points out, that’s definitely not the case.
“It’s difficult because we’ve had some events since yesterday and today the media always ask the same questions. Even if you want to switch off and treat it like a normal weekend, there’s always external input to remind you that it’s a very special race,” Alonso said.
“So it’s more stressful and there’s more pressure for sure. But at the end of the day, when I close my visor and get out of the garage, I don’t think my driving style and my driving technique and my desire to do well and win races will change that much. So it’s not like I’m driving differently than usual. It’s going to be a normal weekend (for them) inside the car, but it’s going to be a different weekend outside.
“I always think the top guys have an advantage because there’s a certain margin in terms of results, so it’s a little bit easier. But F1 is unpredictable. It was the wrong decision not to take the safety car in 2010, and it was also the wrong decision not to take the safety car last week. But these things can happen in a Formula 1 race, so even if you lead the championship, it’s not guaranteed.
“There’s always a bit of a contest. When you look at your opponents on the track in FP1, FP2, you see the comments in the media today. They try to put pressure on the other side. They meet at the driver’s briefing. There’s certainly a different body language between the three of them.”
Norris may be the clear favorite, but that adds to the burden of expectations. Clive Mason/Getty Images
Alonso is right that the top drivers have the most support, with Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Isaac Hajjar all predicting Norris will win the title. Norris also has the added luxury of having his teammate running third ahead of Norris, who is fourth, and potentially getting help from Piastri if Verstappen is expected to win. However, it remains to be seen whether the team’s orders will be carried out in that scenario.
“Honestly, I’d be happy about that, but I don’t think I would ask for that,” Norris said. “I mean…I don’t know, but it’s up to Oscar whether he allows it or not, right? I don’t think it’s necessarily up to me.
“And vice versa. Do you want to ask or not? Personally, I think I would because I always feel that way. That’s my personality. But it’s not up to me. I’m not going to ask that. I don’t think it’s necessarily a fair question, so I don’t want to ask.”
“And at the same time, if it ends like that and Max wins, that’s it. Congratulations to him. I’m looking forward to next year. It won’t change anything. My life won’t change either. So he’ll get more deserved than the rest of us.”
However, despite Norris’ protests, intention change his life. And while he initially insisted he was “not really concerned” about not winning the title, he admitted on Thursday that he knows his life will change if he becomes world champion for the first time.
“I think this has been my whole life. This is all I’ve worked for my whole life,” Norris said. “I mean, it would mean the world to me. It would mean the world to everyone who supported me and pushed me to the end. It’s like 16 years of my life in terms of striving to get here. So it means everything. It means that my life so far has been successful and it means that I achieved the dreams that I had as a child.”
Piastri, the third driver in the mix, needs a 16-point swing to win the title, and in that sense the expectations are much lower on his shoulders compared to his teammates. But he acknowledges the weight that Norris must feel as a driver with everything in his hands and, like Verstappen, can subconsciously shift the pressure elsewhere.
“I feel relaxed,” Piastri said. “I was on the other side of the championship fight in the junior category, I know how it feels and it was pretty tough, so coming in from last place and losing out of the three was something completely different for me.
“Off the back of Qatar, I have great confidence that I can perform well. Of course quite a lot has to happen this weekend to be champion, but I just have to make sure I’m in the right place at the right time and see what happens.”
As Alonso said, media commentary plays a key role in the build-up to the race, and as outspoken as Verstappen is, the Dutchman knows that appearing calm and unfazed over his rivals could give him an advantage as McLaren look to put the final stop to their comeback.
“I’m very relaxed,” Verstappen said. “I have nothing to lose. So I’m just enjoying being here. But for me, it’s not even about being here. I’m enjoying the second half of the season, working with the team and how we were able to turn it around from a difficult period, and then really debriefing after the race and just having fun and smiling, even though I was very disappointed and frustrated with the performance. It’s great to get another win like this.”
“So, I just accept it. To sit here and fight for the title, everything here is just a bonus. So it’s also what makes it so easy for me. We just try to have a good weekend. But still, it’s not really in my control. So we’re just trying to enjoy it.”
It would be very difficult for all 3 people to enjoy it. Fortunately, it’s much easier for those of us watching.
