Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Losail International Circuit, 2025

Max Verstappen doubts Red Bull will be able to beat McLaren on “pure pace” in this weekend’s championship-deciding race.

He has a chance to score a fifth consecutive title after winning the last two races in a row. However even if he wins Sunday’s race, he would still need Lando Norris to finish outside the top three in order to claim the title.

Verstappen predicted that will be difficult as he suspects the Yas Marina circuit will suit McLaren better.

“I hope that we start the weekend well,” he said. “That would help a lot. I think on pure pace, it will be tough.”

He won last weekend’s race at Losail after a strategic error by McLaren handed him the lead. Verstappen said this is the kind of scenario he most likely needs in Abu Dhabi.

“A race like [that] also shows that it’s not always straightforward, a grand prix, and a lot of things can happen,” he said. “So I’m probably relying a little bit on that.”

“You need to be realistic,” he added. “On pure pace, we’re not at the same level. But at the same time, when strategy maybe comes into play or making the right calls at the right time, we might have the opportunity.”

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Verstappen’s route to competing for his fifth consecutive championship has been an unlikely one as he fell over 100 points off the championship lead at one stage in the season. Because of that, he says he feels “a lot more relaxed” about this championship decider than previous ones he has been involved in.

Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen, Losail International Circuit, 2025
Analysis: How Norris, Verstappen and Piastri can win the championship in the final race

“I know that I’m 12 points down, I go in there with just positive energy,” he said. “I’ll try everything I can but at the same time, if I don’t win it, I still know that I had an amazing season.

“So, it doesn’t really matter. It takes a lot of the pressure off. I’m just out there having a good time.”

He said he’ll go into the race ready to exploit any opportunity which comes his way. “I know that when I sit in the car I always try to maximise everything I can,” he said. “And that’s what I’ll try to do in Abu Dhabi.

“At the same time, I also know that we need to rely on probably some external factors to have a go at it. But a race like [Sunday’s] shows that when you think it’s going to be boring and straightforward – it’s not. So I’m hoping Abu Dhabi is going to be similar.”

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