It all boils down to this in the 2025 Formula 1 season. With the constructors’ championship long settled for McLaren, the British team has it in their hands to do a double and win the drivers’ title as well.
However, with just 16 points between the top three, there’s a lot to race for at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Find my Formula 1 betting preview and Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix prediction below.
Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix Preview
It’s been a rollercoaster of a title race in 2025.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri led most of the way, having taken five wins in the first eight races of the season. His win in the Netherlands at the end of August looked to have locked the title for the Australian, after teammate Lando Norris suffered an engine failure that left him 34 points astray.
However, fortunes turned in the latter part of the championship as Norris took four consecutive podiums — including dominant wins at Mexico and Brazil — to take the lead of the championship.
It looked like his 24-point cushion would be enough to secure the title ahead of time, but a double disqualification for the McLarens at Las Vegas and a terrible strategy call at Qatar allowed a third party into the mix, defending champion Max Verstappen.
As things stand, Norris leads with 408 points, with Verstappen on 12 points behind and Piastri in third, 16 points from his teammate. That means all Norris will need to secure his first-ever title is a podium finish, while both Verstappen and Piastri need to win and some big misfortune to land on the other two.
Since 2014, the season finale has been held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The track has seen some intense last races, like the 2014 double-points decider, the 2016 battle between Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and the 2021 controversial last-lap decider between Hamilton and Verstappen.
It’s a mixed track, where long straights compensate for a snail-pace last sector. As such, no car stands out as the clear favorite due to characteristics, although the McLarens may have an advantage due to superior tire wear management.
Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix Prediction, Pick
Max Verstappen – Race Winner (-330, DraftKings)
It’s hardly a bold pick, yes, but it’s hard to expect anything other than a Verstappen masterclass come Sunday. He’s a four-time winner at Abu Dhabi, all taken from pole.
The defending champion came swinging out of the gates on Saturday's qualifying, comfortably securing the pole, with the McLarens hot in pursuit but not close enough. He’s been thrust into realistic contention by other people's mistakes, so expect the Dutchman to deliver, even if luck isn’t on his side with the other results.
Oscar Piastri Top 2 (+150, DraftKings)
Piastri’s title challenge evaporated in front of him as the season progressed, with his nearly unshakable image early in the season getting replaced with that of what he is, a third-year driver who will still make the odd mistake.
He lost form at the worst possible time, finishing six races without a podium from Azerbaijan to Las Vegas, and opened the door first to Norris and then to Verstappen. However, he’s still extremely quick and having a lot to gain in Abu Dhabi and very little to lose, he’s bound to use that outside of the track launching spot to challenge Verstappen and hope for the best.
Charles Leclerc Top 4 (+110, DraftKings)
There’s no hiding from it. Ferrari has been an unadulterated mess since the European swing ended, but Leclerc looked very in control for a driver that complained his car was “rallying” during qualifying.
Add to that a couple of instances of Mercedes’ George Russell overdriving his car at times and the fact he’ll be chasing a very nonchalant Lando Norris, who needs just to finish third, and I can see the Monegasque benefiting from a Russell overly excited push.
