Lando Norris is the favorite to win his first F1 world title, but how can all three drivers achieve it when Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri could snatch the championship at this weekend’s final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
F1 Drivers Championship
After a strategic drama in Qatar, Norris leads Verstappen by 12 points in Sunday’s race at the Yas Marina circuit, with a 16-point lead over McLaren teammate Piastri with 25 points.
How can Norris win the title?
For Norris, the equation is simple. If he gets on the podium in Abu Dhabi, he will be world champion no matter what his title rivals do.
However, if the British driver finishes fourth, as he did in Qatar, there is no need for Verstappen to win the race.
If Norris retires or fails to score any points, Verstappen will be out of the podium and Piastri will have to finish third or worse.
How can Verstappen win the title?
Verstappen must finish on the podium to have a chance of winning a fifth consecutive drivers’ title, equaling the record held by Michael Schumacher during his time at Ferrari.
The Dutchman, who won a controversial title fight against Lewis Hamilton in 2021, realistically needs to win and hopes Norris doesn’t end up on the podium.
How can Piastri win the title?
Piastri needs to finish in the top two to have a chance of winning his first world title. However, even if he wins, his teammate Norris will have to finish sixth or lower.
If Piastri finishes second, the Australian will depend on Norris finishing no better than 10th and Verstappen not finishing on the podium.
What happens if the top two finishers are tied on points?
This can of course happen. For example, if Piastri doesn’t win, Verstappen would be second and Norris seventh, with the latter two tied on 414 points.
Then we move on to the countback which means who has the most wins in 2025. Remarkably, Norris, Verstappen and Piastri all have seven wins this season.
So, if you then look at second place, Verstappen is sixth (including first place in Abu Dhabi in this scenario), while Norris is leading second in eighth place and Piastri is fourth.
In any scenario where Norris ties with his title rival, he would come out on top.
If Verstappen and Piastri are the top two in the championship, there is no way they will be tied in points.
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Craig Slater revisits the defining moments of the dramatic 2025 F1 season and analyzes how the championship set the stage for the Qatar Grand Prix finale
How many times has the championship leader not won?
This will be the 32nd time in the 75-year history of the sport that the F1 Drivers’ Championship has been held to its final race.
However, only nine of those times have the championship leader going into that race failed to win the title. Sebastian Vettel was the last driver to win the title in 2010, overcoming a 15-point gap with Fernando Alonso and finishing third in the standings.
When will the winner’s trophy be awarded?
The Drivers’ Championship is actually awarded at the FIA Awards Gala, rather than at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi. The same goes for the constructors’ championship, which McLaren won at the Singapore Grand Prix in October.
This year’s FIA Awards Gala will be held on December 12th in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Max Verstappen holding the Drivers’ Championship trophy (2024)
The 2025 F1 season concludes with the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports now – cancel anytime with no contract
