The Formula 1 drivers’ championship heads into a dramatic conclusion after Friday’s practice sessions at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Lando Norris and Max Verstappen appearing evenly matched. The final race of the season promises high drama as the McLaren driver leads Red Bull’s four-time champion by 12 points heading into Sunday.

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Practice performance highlights

Norris topped the timesheets in the second practice session, his McLaren edging out Verstappen’s Red Bull by 0.363 seconds on a single-lap pace at Yas Marina. However, race simulations later in the session showed Verstappen closing the gap, suggesting the title fight remains finely balanced.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, the third driver in contention, struggled to find clean laps on the soft tyres, finishing 11th fastest and 16 points behind Norris, making his path to the championship far more challenging.

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Championship permutations

• Lando Norris will secure his first F1 title if he finishes on the podium, regardless of Verstappen’s results.
• Max Verstappen can still claim a fifth consecutive drivers’ championship, but his route is more complex: he must win with Norris lower than third, or finish second with Norris below seventh.
• McLaren has confirmed that team orders may come into play, with Piastri potentially asked to support Norris in specific scenarios.

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Race simulation insights

Norris impressed on soft tyres during qualifying simulations and consistently performed at the top during long-run practice sessions. Across full-race simulations, Norris maintained a 0.209-second lead over Verstappen.

When the laps were compared over the first eight, before tyre degradation affected Red Bull, Verstappen was only 0.075 seconds slower on average, highlighting just how close the championship contenders are.

Norris said: “From the times, things look good at the minute, but still want a bit more from the car… it’s a good positive day, but nothing to smile about yet.”

Verstappen, seeking his fifth straight title, added:

“Pretty OK. I was fairly happy with the car; we just need to be probably a little bit faster. Single lap and long run needs to be better.”

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Other notable practice performances

• George Russell (Mercedes) finished third fastest, followed by Oliver Bearman (Haas), who praised his car’s performance on the radio.
• Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto finished fifth and sixth for Sauber, in the team’s final F1 race before becoming Audi for 2026.
• Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) placed seventh ahead of his promotion to Red Bull next season.
• Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), and Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) completed the top ten.
• Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) ended up 14th, reflecting a challenging session for the seven-time champion.

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Looking ahead to Sunday’s title decider

With the championship finely balanced between Norris and Verstappen, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix promises a thrilling conclusion. Every lap, pit stop, and tyre strategy will be crucial as the drivers battle for the championship. Fans can follow live coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra, and the BBC Sport app, with commentary and updates throughout the race weekend.

The battle at Yas Marina is more than just about winning a race — it’s a duel that could decide the 2025 Formula 1 drivers’ championship.