The stage is set for a historic climax at the Yas Marina Circuit as the 2025 Formula 1 season concludes with a three-way championship battle in Abu Dhabi. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen stands on the precipice of motorsport immortality, needing a victory and specific podium circumstances to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of five consecutive world championships.
The season began with McLaren establishing early dominance, with Lando Norris claiming victory in Melbourne and Oscar Piastri securing a commanding 1-2 finish in Shanghai. By Miami, Piastri had built a 16-point championship lead while Verstappen struggled with Red Bull’s performance and internal turmoil. The team’s mid-season leadership change, replacing Christian Horner with Laurent Mekies amid sexual misconduct allegations, marked a turning point in their campaign.
McLaren’s championship prospects were compromised by intra-team rivalry and strategic errors. The Canadian Grand Prix saw both drivers collide, eliminating Norris from the race, while subsequent incidents in Singapore and Las Vegas exposed tactical vulnerabilities. The Vegas disqualification for technical infringements and Qatar’s safety car misjudgment proved particularly costly, allowing Verstappen to close what was once a 104-point deficit.
Entering the finale, Norris holds a precarious 12-point advantage over Verstappen, with Piastri just four points further back. The championship mathematics requires Verstappen to win Sunday’s race while preventing Norris from finishing on the podium—a scenario that would see the Dutchman match Schumacher’s legendary achievement at the same circuit where he claimed his first title in 2021.