Grand Prix The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

So here we are, the final race of the season, and we have a three way fight for the Drivers World Championship. Lando Norris is in "pole position", with a twelve point lead over Max Verstappen. Max, in turn, has a four point lead over Oscar Piastri. Now is your chance to ruminate, cogitate, and speculate, about what the result might be, and what the outcome of the Championship will be. You might also take the opportunity to speculate over who might affect whom during the race, such as the suggestion by Red Bull at the end of the Qatar race that Kimi Antonelli deliberately got out of Lando Norris way. A suggestion they have now withdrawn, and profusely apologised for after Antonelli received death threats. Yes, seriously, there are people that deranged out there who can't tell the difference between sport and real life.

Sky TV (for those watching in the UK) have their usual in-depth coverage.

No lengthy opinion or character assassination from me yet, I shall save that for my Big Fat Season Review, which I'm sure you will all be delighted to know will be making a come back for 2025.

Enjoy.

 

[cider_and_toast]

One of the factors in Lando's win was Red Bull's lack of a quality number 2 to take points off the McLaren boys.

 

[The Artist.....]

One of the factors in Lando's win was Red Bull's lack of a quality number 2 to take points of the McLaren boys.

The second red bull seat has been a real enigma. Max is a generational talent, but that Red Bull is still a good car. But whoever is in the car ends up performing badly. Is it just that Max needs a car in a particular window, that doesn’t match with other drivers? It’s interesting that in 2023, when Perez was matching Max, Max didn’t look comfortable…

 

[F1Brits_90]

the 1st british F1 world champion not called lewis since 2009. Congratulations to Lando Norris. the 1st time since 1974 that the leader of a 3 way fight has become the world champion

Mclaren strategy can be criticised this season. but they got it spot on today with spilt tyre at the start. neutralised max. those overtakes on those on old hard tyres by lando was outstanding & the drive of a champion. reminded me of jenson in interlagos 2009

after the last few weeks in Qatar & Today Red bull wonder why they are the villians of F1. that as blatant underhand cheating as you'll see & Tsunoda has spent far too time with max. as he clearly thinks he should be allowed to get away with murder

this might be max last chance for a while. as mercedes & Honda PU are expected to be the leaders next season

 

[The Artist.....]

after the last few weeks in Qatar & Today Red bull wonder why they are the villians of F1. that as blatant underhand cheating as you'll see & Tsunoda has spent far too time with max. as he clearly thinks he should be allowed to get away with murder

that was the one bit of the race where my heart was in my mouth - i could just see Lando ending up in the wall there! Personally, I would have disqualified Tsunoda for that move!

 

[F1Brits_90]

that was the one bit of the race where my heart was in my mouth - i could just see Lando ending up in the wall there! Personally, I would have disqualified Tsunoda for that move!

i was very anxious. it is disgraceful as i said leopard dont change there spots. they havent changed since 2021. they are more than happy to cheat to win

 

[The Pits]

To be fair, you cant blame the team for the way the driver went about carrying out the instructions.

 

[Il_leone]

Ultimately, after all of the whining after Monza by Piastri’s fans, had that switch not taken place, then Max would have been leaving Abu Dhabi as world champion.

Well I say if Piastri did not crash 3 times was an even bigger factor

 

[Johnny Carwash]

Chuffed for Lando Norris, after the ebbs and flows of a 24 race and 6 sprint race season, he just made it over the line.

 

[The Artist.....]

Chuffed for Lando Norris, after the ebbs and flows of a 24 race and 6 sprint race season, he just made it over the line.

It should have been much more comfortable for Lando…

Had he not had his brain fade moment in Montreal, had his engine not failed in the Netherlands, and had the team given an extra fraction of a mm of ride height in Vegas, then Norris would have had picked up an additional 48 points…. However, as Murray Walker often incorrectly said - F1 is IF backwards!

 

[cider_and_toast]

I'm astonished at the number of F1 sites on Instagram showing photos and videos of Lando overtaking Yuki and claiming that Lando should have had a penalty.

I've even seen a meme claiming it would have been a penalty had Lando been any other nationality than British which is absolutely comical given how few penalties Verstappen has been given over the years.

Finally, even if Lando has been given a time penalty, it wouldn't have made a hill of beans difference as he finished 7 seconds ahead of Leclerc's Ferrari.

 

[The Artist.....]

I'm astonished at the number of F1 sites on Instagram showing photos and videos of Lando overtaking Yuki and claiming that Lando should have had a penalty.

I've even seen a meme claiming it would have been a penalty had Lando been any other nationality than British which is absolutely comical given how few penalties Verstappen has been given over the years.

Finally, even if Lando has been given a time penalty, it wouldn't have made a hill of beans difference as he finished 7 seconds ahead of Leclerc's Ferrari.

The other set of sites that are really annoying are the ones that claim that McLaren stole the title from Piastri! The Max fans are also making out that the McLaren was illegal all season, simply because they were disqualified from Vegas…

Tsunoda’s move on Norris looked to me like a driver trying to deliver a penalty for Norris - the fact that he let Leclerc straight past was as much of a signal, to try to ensure that either Norris got a penalty, or had to let both Leclerc and Tsunoda past to avoid a penalty. To me, that looked like race fixing!

 

[The Pits]

I think it was clear what Tsunoda was doing, it wasnt a lunge into a corner, it was a weave on a straight. As the penalty was given to Tsunoda, no penalty should be given to the driver on the receiving end.

Please correct me if im wrong here, but penalties for overtaking off track are rarely accompanied by a counter penalty to the other driver for forcing off track. My memory isn't what it used to be

 

[Il_leone]

I think it was clear what Tsunoda was doing, it wasnt a lunge into a corner, it was a weave on a straight. As the penalty was given to Tsunoda, no penalty should be given to the driver on the receiving end.

Please correct me if im wrong here, but penalties for overtaking off track are rarely accompanied by a counter penalty to the other driver for forcing off track. My memory isn't what it used to be

Try and bash some sense to Red Bull and Piastri fans

 

[Il_leone]

I'm astonished at the number of F1 sites on Instagram showing photos and videos of Lando overtaking Yuki and claiming that Lando should have had a penalty.

I've even seen a meme claiming it would have been a penalty had Lando been any other nationality than British which is absolutely comical given how few penalties Verstappen has been given over the years.

Finally, even if Lando has been given a time penalty, it wouldn't have made a hill of beans difference as he finished 7 seconds ahead of Leclerc's Ferrari.

In that scenario then Piastri would have let them both by if Norris was behind Leclerc but Lando had enough pace in the car as he was not going flat out

Well its also amusing because apparently Lando is unworthy if Oscar has had to move over when team orders and getting the other driver to block your teammate is apparantly okay for other teams

 

[F1Brits_90]

I've even seen a meme claiming it would have been a penalty had Lando been any other nationality than British which is absolutely comical given how few penalties Verstappen has been given over the years.

the max / piastri or anti lando fans are hilarious. double standards are hilarious. Norris should be punished for breathing but Tsunoda can weave down the straight & try to force his teammates title rival into a wall thats fine

but its great to find those that should be blocked on social. including some that tell me than in a top 10. piastri should be ranked higher than Norris.