Norris, Verstappen and Piastri set for title showdown in Abu Dhabi after Qatar drama

The Formula 1 world championship is headed for a dramatic, winner-takes-all finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after a costly McLaren strategy error in Qatar kept the title fight alive.

Lando Norris leads the standings on 408 points, holding a narrow advantage over Max Verstappen (396) and fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (392). All three remain in contention - the first time since 2010 that three drivers will enter the final race with a shot at the championship. That year, Sebastian Vettel came from third in the standings to win the title ahead of Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton.

Points for the final race mirror the season standard: 25 for a win, 18 for second, 15 for third, then 12-1 down to 10th. With each of the contenders sitting on seven wins this season, a victory in Abu Dhabi could prove decisive in any tie-break scenario.

What each driver needs

Lando Norris - 408 points

The equation is straightforward for the Brit: beat Verstappen and Piastri, and the championship is his.
But even if he finishes behind them, Norris can still seal the title by staying within 12 points of Verstappen and 16 of Piastri.

If any drivers finish level on points, the title goes first to race wins, then to second-place finishes - a scenario that currently favours Norris.

Norris has a strong record at Yas Marina, winning there in 2024 and never finishing lower than eighth in six appearances.

Max Verstappen - 396 points (-12)

Victory for Verstappen would secure his fifth straight title as long as Norris finishes fourth or lower.

If he doesn't win, the Dutchman must out-score Norris by at least 13 points - for example, by finishing second with Norris seventh or worse, or finishing third with Norris outside the top 10.

But Verstappen must also guard against Piastri: the Australian only needs to out-score him by five points to eliminate him from contention.

Verstappen has four Abu Dhabi wins from 10 races. His sixth-place finish last year was his worst result at the track since 2015.

Oscar Piastri - 392 points (-16)

Piastri's path is the tightest: he must win the race to have any chance.
If he does win, he needs Norris to finish sixth or lower to clinch the title.
A second-place finish would only work if Norris finishes 10th or worse and Verstappen finishes off the podium.
Third place is not enough - it earns only 15 points, one short of the gap he needs to close.

Piastri has raced twice in Abu Dhabi, with a best result of sixth in 2023.

Will McLaren impose team orders?

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said he understood Piastri's frustration after Qatar, where the Aussie missed out despite a strong performance.

But Stella played down the likelihood of team orders being used in Abu Dhabi, saying McLaren intends to give both drivers a fair shot at the crown.

"We always want to keep both options open," he said. "Both drivers are still in the fight. There have been many times in Formula 1 when the third driver in contention has won - 2007, and again in 2010.

"We have to respect the fact Oscar can still win. So we'll let them race."