One last race - who is new Formula 1 champion?

Formula One is heading toward a finale built for drama. For the first time in 15 years, three drivers arrive at the last round with a real shot at the crown — a situation made possible largely because McLaren has spent the past two weeks tripping over itself. Max Verstappen has punished every slip with clinical efficiency, dragging himself back into contention for a fifth world championship.

Lando Norris holds a 12-point advantage over Verstappen and 16 over Oscar Piastri. It looks reassuring on paper, but a single error can flip everything upside down. The title will be settled in Abu Dhabi.

Today’s first two practice sessions are in the books. Norris topped both, though that hardly guarantees anything. So what awaits us in the race?

Yas Marina is a circuit that rewards perfection. Long straights feed into tight corners, and even the smallest misjudgment can cost positions. Overtaking has been easier since the 2021 layout changes, but track position still carries enormous weight. This is exactly the kind of venue where overthinking tends to backfire.

Tire wear isn’t catastrophic, yet the heat and traction-heavy sections can catch teams out, and managing traffic can matter just as much as qualifying. McLaren has had the pace often enough this season — the real question is whether the pit wall can match the drivers if the race throws another curveball.

Verstappen’s run of five wins after the summer break wasn’t built on luck. Red Bull’s front-wing tweaks since Zandvoort didn’t reinvent anything, but each small refinement sharpened the car: improved flex control, cleaner aero surfaces, and steadier behavior at high speed. The result was a machine Verstappen could trust to push to the limit.

Now he’s close enough that one more McLaren misstep could hand him a fifth straight title. The four-point gap between Verstappen and Piastri may be slim, but it matters — a repeat of the Qatar podium would make Verstappen champion again.

Norris, meanwhile, doesn’t need to beat either rival directly. He just needs to beat everyone else. Any podium finish seals the championship.

Abu Dhabi will decide whether Norris lifts his first world title or McLaren lets a golden season slip through its fingers. Fifty-eight laps, 12 points, and the same dilemma McLaren has faced all month: can the team stay out of its own way long enough to finish the job?

If not, they’ll be remembered for something entirely different — one of the biggest collapses Formula One has ever seen.

FORMULA 1 - TOP 5 BEFORE THE FINAL RACE

1. Norris - 408 pts

2. Verstappen - 396 pts

3. Piastri - 392 pts

4. Russell - 309 pts

5. Leclerc - 230 pts