There’s a championship struggle to complete – Owen Bellwood
It’s the ultimate race of the System 1 season and after 23 grands prix, the drivers’ championship continues to be all to play for going into Abu Dhabi. McLaren’s Lando Norris leads proceedings with 408 factors, however Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen is simply 12 factors behind, and Oscar Piastri is an additional 4 factors again.
Norris has the benefit going into the race, and will likely be out for redemption after McLaren missed out on a 1-2 end in Qatar due to a botched pitstop name. Verstappen, in the meantime, is unquestionably the motive force with momentum on his facet. Regardless of a tough begin to the 2025 season, the Dutchman’s 12 months circled following an improve package deal in Monza, and he has since gained 5 out of eight races – together with the final two rounds.
Nevertheless, Norris want solely finishes within the prime three to choose up a primary drivers’ crown. Regardless of this, solely a idiot would depend Verstappen out at this stage – particularly as his group has a historical past of overturning comparable deficits on the UAE circuit. And, ought to the Dutchman squabble along with his British rival within the opening laps, Piastri want solely be available to comb up the items to take a primary title of his personal.
Certain, Norris is the favorite going into the weekend, however an in-form Verstappen and a McLaren group that seemingly jumps at each alternative to make the flawed name implies that the struggle continues to be certain to be thrilling – regardless of how powerful overtaking may be across the Yas Marina circuit.
Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Midfield positions nonetheless to be determined – Ed Hardy
Overlook the 2025 System 1 title struggle, as a result of the true battle is within the midfield the place a number of positions are but to be determined. Racing Bulls maintain sixth, simply 12 factors above seventh-place Aston Martin – which is seven factors forward of Haas in eighth. There are then simply 5 factors separating Haas and ninth-placed Sauber, so there’s a lot to play for.
It could not appear essential on the face of it, as a result of fairly frankly no one is tuning in to see who finishes seventh, however it’s of big significance to the groups as a result of the distinction between these positions means roughly $10 million in prize cash. And in a world the place the midfield battle is extremely tight, this sort of money can assist give a squad the sting for the approaching years – so these groups gained’t be resting on their laurels simply but.
That’s particularly as a result of a lot can change instantly as nicely, as though Racing Bulls may look protected with a 12-point hole, it wasn’t way back in Mexico that Haas claimed a rating of 14 with its fourth and ninth-place finishes.
Additionally final week in Qatar, for instance, Aston Martin scored six factors due to Fernando Alonso coming residence in seventh – so there’s each probability that not less than a type of positions within the constructors’ standings will change come Sunday.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Picture by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Antonelli on target to overtake Hamilton – Haydn Cobb
Firstly of the 12 months, when you had predicted Andrea Kimi Antonelli to complete forward of Lewis Hamilton within the F1 drivers’ world championship you’d have raised just a few eyebrows. In case you had predicted that very same feat across the finish of the European stretch of the season, you’d have been laughed at. However who’s laughing now?
Had Antonelli not slipped off the observe late on in Qatar, handing a spot to Norris within the course of, the Mercedes rookie and seven-time world champion can be degree on factors going into the ultimate. Whereas accusations of intentionally letting the McLaren driver by at Losail are “brainless”, per Toto Wolff’s evaluation of Helmut Marko, Antonelli bridging the two-point hole to Hamilton seems solely logical for the Abu Dhabi GP.
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Antonelli has hit a purple patch of outcomes; second in Brazil’s dash and grand prix, a promoted third in Las Vegas after McLaren’s double disqualification, and a sixth place within the dash and a fifth place within the Qatar GP to spherical out 53-point haul. In distinction, Hamilton’s six-point tally over that very same stretch is depressing.
Ferrari impressed in Abu Dhabi 12 months in the past with a double podium, which put it simply wanting overhauling McLaren to the F1 world constructors’ championship. However that type isn’t anticipated from the Scuderia this weekend, which implies that Hamilton’s possibilities of holding off Antonelli stay slim. Whether or not the Brit finishes sixth or seventh within the drivers’ standings gained’t actually matter. However would ending up behind the rookie chosen to take his spot when he opted to go away Mercedes for Ferrari?
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Picture by: Dom Gibbons / LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
One final race for F1’s ground-effect vehicles – Ed Hardy
The 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a possibility to say goodbye to a number of drivers who have been leaving F1 as a result of grid shake-up for 2025. That record included Zhou Guanyu, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen and Franco Colapinto, as they have been all racing their remaining grand prix for the foreseeable future – although just a few of them will likely be racing in 2026 – with many rookies coming in for this 12 months.
Though that’s not fairly the case once more this weekend, solely Yuki Tsunoda is dropping off the grid, the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will likely be a possibility to say goodbye to the ground-effect period as a substitute. That’s as a result of a brand new set of rules will come into drive in 2026, with vehicles set to grow to be lighter and smaller, whereas there will likely be an elevated emphasis on electrical vitality, which can have a close to 50-50 cut up with the inner combustion unit subsequent 12 months.
So, discover a second to soak up these vehicles as a result of the racing guarantees to look very totally different in 2026. Is {that a} good factor? Properly, it’s debatable. Some argue the ground-effect period hasn’t labored as supposed as a result of there’s nonetheless a scarcity of overtaking and the vehicles haven’t been probably the most fulfilling for drivers, however the pecking order has been extremely tight and consistently modified…
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Alexander Albon, Williams
Picture by: Zak Mauger / LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Can Yuki Tsunoda finish his F1 profession on a excessive – Owen Bellwood
Purple Bull confirmed the motive force lineups for its senior group and the Racing Bulls junior facet this week, with Isack Hadjar becoming a member of Verstappen at Purple Bull Racing, and Arvid Lindblad making the step as much as F1 to companion Liam Lawson. Within the reshuffle, Yuki Tsunoda loses his full-time race seat to take a reserve driver function at Purple Bull – bringing his stint in F1 to an finish after 5 seasons.
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The information implies that Abu Dhabi may very well be Tsunoda’s remaining race in F1, bringing a tricky season to an in depth and rounding out a profession that confirmed flashes of actual promise. Tsunoda’s finest outcome was fourth place in Abu Dhabi for Alpha Tauri in his first season within the collection, and he is since fought for factors to attempt to safe his F1 future.
Now, the Japanese driver will likely be hoping to emulate his 2021 outcome and finish the 12 months on a excessive – regardless of spending the vast majority of the season struggling along with his RB21. This appeared like an actual risk within the early levels of final weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, with Tsunoda out-qualifying Verstappen for the primary time forward of the dash. However, his type got here unstuck in Sunday’s grand prix.
Right here’s hoping he can lastly put collectively a powerful weekend with Purple Bull in Abu Dhabi.
Yuki Tsunoda, Purple Bull Racing Staff
Picture by: Zak Mauger / LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
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