'Abu Dhabi is a Lando track' - drivers weigh in on F1 title fight between Norris, Verstappen and Piastri

Live updates from the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP

Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri head into this weekend’s Formula One season finale in Abu Dhabi each with a shot at clinching the championship title and the rest of the grid seems just as invested in the outcome of this three-way battle.

In the drivers’ press conference on Thursday, George Russell (Mercedes), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) all tipped Norris, who is leading the championship with a 12-point gap on second-placed Verstappen, to seal the deal on Sunday.

Teammates Norris and Piastri have dominated the majority of the season, but four-time world champion Verstappen found a way to cut a 104-point deficit down to just 12 in the span of three months to wedge himself between the McLaren drivers.

The Red Bull driver’s comeback heroics have injected a great deal of excitement into the championship fight and has made Leclerc flip-flop between all three drivers when trying to predict the ultimate victor.

“I've changed my mind so many times this year. I thought it was Oscar, then I thought it was Max, then I don't know. I probably think it's going to be Lando. Twelve points is still significant. So, if nothing big happens to Lando, I think Lando will take it,” said Leclerc.

Williams’ Carlos Sainz was more comfortable giving a verdict, and believes his former teammate and good friend Norris has what it takes to secure his first world title this weekend.

“I do have an interest [in the championship fight], obviously, and I will be following very closely,” said Sainz, who drove alongside Norris for McLaren in 2019 and 2020.

“I think everyone knows how well I get on with Lando and obviously I wish Lando the best possible outcome in that sense.

“I also have a lot of respect for Max and Oscar and I wish them the best, but I think Abu Dhabi is a Lando track.”

Norris won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year, comfortably converting his pole position into victory, which helped McLaren secure the constructors’ championship.

“I think it's good for him that the final is in Abu Dhabi, which from my experience being his teammate here, is one of his best tracks at driving and the win he took last year in front of me still hurts,” added Sainz.

“He dominated last year's race in front of me and I knew it's a Lando track and it's a McLaren track, so I think he plays with that advantage. Still, going into the last weekend, having to finish on the podium is never easy, even if you drive a McLaren, and I think he needs to execute a perfect weekend and I believe given how well he's responded under pressure recently, I think he can do it.”

Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto both said they plan on closely following the fight at the front of the grid.

This is the first time since 2010 that more than two drivers enter the F1 season finale with a chance of winning the championship and the entire paddock is excited about this rare occasion.

“I'm not going to lie, I'm a big motorsport fan myself so when I look at it, I find it pretty cool