2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix strategy briefing: All the data to follow the race with

There is just one scene left in the 2025 Formula 1 world championship: the championship-deciding final race.

Will Lando Norris, Max Verstappen or Oscar Piastri prevail? Here’s all the data to follow the decisive race with:

Weather

When Formula 1 relocated its season finale from Interlagos to Yas Marina many years ago, it ended the days of capricious weather heightening the drama of a world championship-decider. The usual warm weather and fading evening temperatures are expected on Sunday at Yas Marina.

Start

The run to the first corner is fairly short at Yas Marina, comparable to Singapore and Miami. But it’s not unheard of for the pole-winner to be beaten to turn one – Lewis Hamilton got there first from second on the grid in his 2021 championship showdown with Verstappen.

That was the last time it happened: Verstappen kept the lead from pole the last two years as did Norris 12 months ago.

Distance from pole position to first braking zone. Source: Mercedes

While Norris won the run to turn one last year his team mate Oscar Piastri, who started second, was knocked into a spin by Verstappen, who lined up fourth on the grid.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and

Strategy

Although drivers have experienced some graining in practice, as the track rubbers in by Sunday this is likely to be less of a problem. In an ordinary race a one-stop strategy is therefore likely to be the preferred approach.

However the circumstances of the championship are likely to have a strong bearing on strategy. Verstappen needs to not only win but somehow ensure Norris does not finish inside the top three places. Red Bull will therefore be considering anything they might do to wrong-foot McLaren (which, of course, they did to themselves just a week ago).

Simply holding Norris up and hoping someone overtakes him is likely to prove a last resort. As Verstappen admitted on Saturday, it was a tricky task to pull off when Hamilton tried it unsuccessfully nine years ago, and the changes to the track since then haven’t helped.

Red Bull will surely try to use Tsunoda tactically if they can, as they did with Sergio Perez in this race four years ago. He has qualified closer to the front than usual and proved a useful ally for Verstappen in Mexico by allowing him through and holding up the McLarens. Once he is 22 seconds behind the leaders – the time it takes to pit and change tyres at Yas Marina – he could come into play.

Significantly, McLaren have made a different tyre choice to Red Bull for the race. Red Bull, like most teams, have chosen to keep two sets of mediums, while McLaren is the only team which has stockpiled two new sets of the hards.

Last year drivers chose the following compounds to start the race on:

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and

The full list of tyres each driver has available will be added here once it has been published.

• The realistic scenario where McLaren could order Piastri to help Norris win the title
• If someone attempts Hamilton’s 2016 tactics the title fight will get complicated

Overtaking

The two DRS zones are unchanged from last year, when the first zone at the exit of turn five was shortened by 50 metres. The second zone follows immediately at the exit of turn seven.

No driver is in immediate danger of collecting enough penalty points that they could trigger a ban for the first race of 2026, with the possible exception of Oliver Bearman, on nine. Norris’s licence is clean as of the last race:

• Formula 1 drivers’ current penalty points

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and

Speed trap

Safety Cars

Last year’s race featured a brief Virtual Safety Car period from lap two to three. This was the only use of either type of Safety Car since the contentious end to the 2021 race.

Grid

The grid for this year’s race is as follows. Any changes between now and the start of the race will be added here:

• 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix grid

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and

Championship implications

If the championship contenders finish in the positions they start, Norris will win the world championship by five points from Verstappen.

• How Norris, Verstappen and Piastri can win the championship in the final race
• Formula 1 drivers’ championship points calculator

Over to you

How will the 2025 world championship be decided? Are we about to see a typical Yas Marina procession, a shameful farce – or a race for the ages?

Share your views on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the comments.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and

2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

• Verstappen heard Russell’s request for a tow: “It makes me laugh”
• 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix strategy briefing: All the data to follow the race with
• Hamilton feeling “an unbearable amount of anger and rage” after another Q1 exit
• Russell expects ‘opportunities’ in race: ‘Max won’t let them finish one-two-three’
• Verstappen says backing Norris into rivals in race would be harder than in 2016

Browse all 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix articles