Sweeping throughout the Gulf to Abu Dhabi, host of Components One’s season finale for 12 consecutive years, Lando Norris actually ought to be house and dry by now. With out these Las Vegas , Max Verstappen can be out of the working. With out in Qatar, McLaren might relaxation straightforward within the data that the drivers’ champion would, on the very least, be donning papaya colors. But right here we’re; on we go.
This weekend’s three-way battle within the desert is the primary F1 championship-decider involving greater than two drivers for 15 years. Again then, a four-way hammer-and-tong concluded with a shock champion on the chequered flag: Sebastian Vettel’s first of 4 triumphs, and different shock winners earlier than him on the ultimate day, are telling case research for Sunday’s remaining curtain name.
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It goes a way in explaining why Verstappen and Oscar Piastri shouldn’t hand over the ghost simply but. Twelve and 16-point deficits respectively are important obstacles to beat, for certain, and Norris holds many of the playing cards. A podium is all of the 26-year-old from Somerset wants and, within the quickest automotive on the grid, it ought to be one thing of a banker.
How they stand in F1 championship race?
Lando Norris – 308 factors
Max Verstappen – 296 factors (+12)
Oscar Piastri – 292 factors (+16)
However historical past tells us that unfathomable occasions happen on judgement day. It’s why Norris can be well-advised to look ominously over his shoulder, whereas each permutation ought to be memorised to a tee on a McLaren pit-wall beneath immense scrutiny, following the wrong name in Qatar.
The irony of McLaren’s present predicament involving group orders – and the ethical dilemma stays of whether or not Piastri would assist Norris ought to it’s required on Sunday – is that one-man group Crimson Bull had been on the flip aspect of the coin again in 2010. On the eve of their first world championship, Crimson Bull’s late group proprietor Dietrich Mateschitz implored that “interference with the drivers would by no means be a risk”, with Mark Webber (Piastri’s present supervisor, no much less) coming into the Abu Dhabi weekend seven factors forward of teammate Vettel.
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But the championship chief was a sure Fernando Alonso, then 29 years younger, racing for Ferrari. He led Webber by eight factors and Vettel by 15 factors, with Lewis Hamilton an extended shot, 24 factors adrift. Alonso wanted second or first to ensure the title – a prophecy which might have been in place for Norris on Sunday, had Kimi Antonelli held place within the remaining laps of the final race.
Qualifying proved key – because it usually is across the Yas Marina Circuit, sadly not essentially the most thrilling monitor for racing – with Vettel claiming a lights-to-flag victory from pole. Alonso began in third however misplaced a spot initially and was then powerless after Ferrari’s questionable resolution to pit left him frustratingly behind a string of midfield automobiles.
Ferrari botching a method name – some issues actually do by no means change.
Vettel was unaware of the scenario as he crossed the road, earlier than being knowledgeable of his beneficial destiny, main the championship for the primary time all season on the decisive juncture. A scenario which appeared distant at finest initially of the weekend had come up trumps for the German, whereas seventh-placed Alonso was left to rue a race which noticed nothing fall his method. Ferrari haven’t gained a drivers’ world championship since.
Sebastian Vettel trailed Fernando Alonso by 16 factors however gained the 2010 championship (Getty Photos)
Vettel carries his trophy after successful the 2010 world title in Abu Dhabi (Getty Photos)
Three years earlier, nevertheless, the Scuderia launched their very own unbelievable fightback with Kimi Raikkonen and, in a full circle second , present McLaren group principal Andrea Stella in scarlet crimson as racing director. Historical past appeared firmly within the making when McLaren’s Hamilton gained the Japanese Grand Prix in Fuji with two races left. Seventeen factors away from the Finn, beneath the previous point-scoring system, the boy from Stevenage was set to change into the game’s first rookie champion.
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However then Hamilton floundered, sliding off monitor within the pit-lane in China handy Raikkonen a gap, earlier than a gearbox challenge pushed him to the again of the pack on the season finale in Brazil. Hamilton’s teammate Alonso, in certainly one of F1’s most vociferous partnerships, couldn’t stake a declare on the entrance both. Two victories to complete the season had been sufficient for Raikkonen to win the title.
It’s a scenario akin to Verstappen this yr, who might seal the title with a 3rd win in a row this weekend. The takeaway is clear: end-of-season momentum counts for a terrific deal.
Kimi Raikkonen gained the 2007 title after a late comeback (Getty Photos)
However maybe essentially the most relatable title battle to the current day befell again in 1986, with McLaren nice Alain Prost the Verstappen-like determine of the season up towards two Williams drivers – Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet – within the quickest automotive. By the season finale going down on the streets of Adelaide, Mansell and Piquet had secured the highest two spots on the grid. Prost was again in fourth.
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But “Le Professeur”, as Prost was identified, skilled his fair proportion of woman luck to win the championship. Essentially the most memorable second was Mansell’s tyre blowout on the 200mph Brabham straight, 19 laps from the tip, when a podium was all he wanted for his first title. Murray Walker, on commentary for the BBC, exclaimed: “And take a look at that! And colossally that is Mansell!”
Williams pitted Piquet, nervous of a repeat, and although the Brazilian closed in on race chief Prost in the direction of the tip, the Frenchman held his nerve to assert the last word gong.
Nigel Mansell’s Williams automotive let him down when it mattered most in 1986 (Getty Photos)
Lando Norris leads by 12 to Max Verstappen and 16 to Oscar PIastri (Getty Photos)
Completely different eras, after all, however no much less related this weekend. The first takeaway: what could appear a foregone conclusion usually fails to materialise. In another actuality, seven-time world champion Hamilton might have 10 titles in his cupboard, if you happen to embrace different title near-misses on the ultimate day in 2016 and 2021.
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In fact, that (the final time the drivers’ title made it to the ultimate day) stands proud for then-race director Michael Masi succumbing to the strain of the event with a bunch of incorrect choices. One merely hopes that this time round, the season’s champion is decided by the motion out on monitor and engineers on the pit-wall, not the stewards in race management.
Whichever method it falls, historical past tells us that the ultimate furlong has not often been simple. Curveballs shall be thrown; how Norris bats them away will determine his destiny on Sunday evening.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix takes place at 1pm (GMT) on Sunday. Observe The Impartial for dwell protection on the bottom all through the race weekend.
