McLaren's Lando Norris stands on the brink of his maiden Formula 1 world championship, needing just one podium finish in the season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this Sunday. The British driver holds a slender but crucial lead over his rivals heading into the decisive race.
The Championship Standings and Scenarios
With the 2025 season reaching its climax, the title fight has narrowed to a three-way battle. Norris leads the standings with 408 points. Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen is second with 396 points, while Norris's own McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, sits third with 392 points. This gives Norris a 12-point buffer over Verstappen and a 16-point advantage over Piastri.
The equation for Norris is straightforward: a top-three finish at the Yas Marina Circuit will secure the title, no matter where his rivals finish. However, a specific mathematical scenario exists where Verstappen could snatch a fifth consecutive drivers' crown. If Verstappen wins the race, with Piastri finishing third and Norris dropping to fourth, the Dutchman would defend his title. Crucially, if the McLaren drivers were to swap positions in that same situation—Norris third and Piastri fourth—the team would successfully deny Verstappen and crown Norris champion.
Norris's Reluctance on Team Orders
Ahead of the weekend, the topic of potential team orders at McLaren became a focal point. When asked about the hypothetical scenario and whether he would request help from Piastri, Norris revealed his conflicted feelings. "It hasn't been discussed. Honestly, I would love it!," Norris admitted in Thursday's press conference. "But I don't think I would ask because... I don't know. It's up to Oscar if he would allow it. It's not necessarily down to me."
Norris emphasized a sense of fairness, stating he would likely act the same way if the roles were reversed. "It's the same if it was the other way around. Would I be willing or not? Personally, I think I would, because I feel like I'm always like that... that's how I am." He made it clear he does not wish to pose the question to his teammate. "I don't want to ask because I don't think it's necessarily a fair question. If that's how it ends and Max wins, then that's it. Congrats to him and we look forward to next year. It doesn't change anything."
Piastri's Wait-and-See Approach
For his part, Oscar Piastri, who led the championship for large parts of the season, offered a pragmatic response. The Australian driver said he would only know his course of action once the team clarified what was "expected" of him during the 58-lap Grand Prix. "It's not something we have discussed. I don't have an answer until I know what's expected," Piastri stated.
Despite his title chances now being a long shot, Piastri expressed a relaxed mindset. "I'm relaxed," he said. "I've been on the opposite side of a championship battle in the junior categories, and I know how tough that felt. So coming into this with the least to lose out of us three is quite different for me." He remains confident in his own performance, adding, "Off the back of Qatar, I've got a lot of confidence that I can perform well. Obviously, I need a fair few things to happen this weekend to come out champion, but I'll just make sure I'm in the right place at the right time and see what happens."
The stage is now set for a dramatic conclusion to the 2025 Formula 1 season in Abu Dhabi. With the championship destiny intertwined with team dynamics and individual brilliance, all eyes will be on the McLaren garage and the fierce battle between Norris and Verstappen under the desert lights.
