F1, the World Championship is decided in Abu Dhabi: Max Verstappen seeks allies

The big day is here. Today, in Abu Dhabi, site of the’last GP of the Formula 1 season, it will be discovered who will be the F1 World Champion in 2025. There are three to play for the title (it has not happened since 2010), namely Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. The standings speak for themselves: Lando Norris first with a 12-point lead over the Dutchman of Red Bull and 16 over his teammate at McLaren.

Fabrizio Ponciroli

Qualifying has, yet again, smiled on Max Verstappen who took pole position (number eight in the season, the 48th in his career). Right behind him was World Championship leader Lando Norris and, right behind him, the’other rival Oscar Piastri. L’Dutchman will aim to run away right away, so he can race ahead and take home the win. The problem is, to win what would be his fifth World Championship title, Max Verstappen needs someone to put Lando Norris behind his exhausts. Specifically, he has to hope that the Briton does not go on the podium.

Considering that Oscar Piastri is unlikely to go against his teammate (he would then have problems with McLaren), Max Verstappen is hoping to find some allies in the other drivers, all of whom are out of the World Championship race. The Mercedes of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli could become dangerous for Lando Norris, not least because both Mercedes drivers are only aiming to do well in the GP.

Who knows, maybe even a final shot in the arm from Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque, like Lewis Hamilton, can&#8217t wait for this season to end but he wouldn&#8217t disdain to close with a good result, maybe even manage to get on the podium again. In short, on paper there&#8217s someone who could make the road to the World Championship complicated for Lando Norris and, consequently, make Max Verstappen happy.