Lando Norris is bracing himself for a thrilling finale in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he will face off against Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri in his bid to secure his maiden Formula 1 World Championship. Having qualified second to Verstappen at the Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday, Norris starts from pole position and only needs to finish on the podium to claim the title.
The prospect of Verstappen employing 'backing-up' tactics, similar to Lewis Hamilton's approach in the 2016 Abu Dhabi decider, has sent shockwaves through the paddock. This strategy involves driving slowly behind the leading cars to exploit their tire degradation, thereby gaining an advantage in terms of tire life and potentially taking key positions.
Verstappen himself is taking a pragmatic approach, stating that he will be 'all out' and try to win the race by defending or attacking as needed. His teammate Piastri, however, has denied having any direct discussions with Norris about helping him secure the title if needed on Sunday.
Mercedes driver George Russell, who starts in fourth place, is expecting Verstappen to keep the leading pack close, which could potentially create opportunities for him to get into contention. Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundits believe that whatever strategy Verstappen adopts, it will be crucial to hurt Norris's tire management to gain an advantage.
Ultimately, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday promises to be a nail-biting conclusion to the 2025 Formula 1 season, with all three title contenders vying for glory.
The prospect of Verstappen employing 'backing-up' tactics, similar to Lewis Hamilton's approach in the 2016 Abu Dhabi decider, has sent shockwaves through the paddock. This strategy involves driving slowly behind the leading cars to exploit their tire degradation, thereby gaining an advantage in terms of tire life and potentially taking key positions.
Verstappen himself is taking a pragmatic approach, stating that he will be 'all out' and try to win the race by defending or attacking as needed. His teammate Piastri, however, has denied having any direct discussions with Norris about helping him secure the title if needed on Sunday.
Mercedes driver George Russell, who starts in fourth place, is expecting Verstappen to keep the leading pack close, which could potentially create opportunities for him to get into contention. Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundits believe that whatever strategy Verstappen adopts, it will be crucial to hurt Norris's tire management to gain an advantage.
Ultimately, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday promises to be a nail-biting conclusion to the 2025 Formula 1 season, with all three title contenders vying for glory.
I'm really loving the drama that Verstappen is bringing to this finale! 
The 'backing-up' tactics are like something out of a movie, and it's going to be interesting to see how Norris reacts under pressure 
. But you know who's gonna have the most fun? George Russell! 
He's got a good chance of sneaking into contention if Verstappen keeps the leaders busy 
. Norris is gonna need to stay focused and not get distracted by all the talk about Verstappen's tactics 
. I mean can you imagine if Max Verstappen pulls off that 'backing-up' tactic and steals the championship from Norris? It's like, my heart would break 
. And what about Oscar Piastri? Is he even a threat or just there to collect the consolation prize 
? 
. Norris needs to stay focused and not let his nerves get the better of him or he'll end up in 3rd place 
. This is literally going to be a nail-biter and I'm so excited but also super nervous 
! What if Verstappen wins by a hair? 
Can't even think about it right now...
what if Verstappen tries his 'backing-up' tactic and Norris just doesn't get the tire life he needs? Norris has to start on pole tho 
. I'm rooting for Lando, but Verstappen's got some clever tactics up his sleeve... or should I say, on the pit wall? 
It's gonna be a wild ride at Abu Dhabi, bring it on! 
He's got this from pole position which is amazing 
and if he can stay on the podium it's basically a done deal 
. I do think Verstappen might try some sneaky tactics but Norris is super quick so we'll see how that plays out 
. Russell's hopes might actually come true and Norris could get caught out with his tire management 
. Still think Norris has this one in the bag though, but you never know what can happen at the last minute 
His pole position is a huge boost and if he can manage his tires well, I think he's got a good shot at it. But Verstappen employing those 'backing-up' tactics could be interesting to watch - it's not something we've seen before in F1. I'm a bit concerned for Norris, but at the same time, he's shown some amazing driving skills this season. Piastri denying any talks with Norris about helping him out is pretty surprising though... 
️
but at the same time, it's gonna be amazing to watch whoever comes out on top 
or will Norris secure that World Championship? Can't wait to see how it all unfolds this Sunday #F1Finale #NorrisVsVerstappen #PitStopDrama
so Norris starts from pole and only needs to finish 3rd, that's like, super chill right? 
but Verstappen's 'backing-up' tactic is like, a whole different story. I mean, if he plays it cool and gains an edge on tire life, that'd be a major upset. And what about Piastri, though? He's keeping mum on whether he'll help Norris out or not 
. Meanwhile, Russell's just trying to stay in the game from 4th place 
. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen's 'backing-up' tactics could potentially be a game-changer, as we saw with Lewis Hamilton's approach in 2016 
. It'll be interesting to see how Norris and his team manage their tire degradation on Sunday 
.
. If Verstappen can maintain his pace and defend his position effectively, he might be able to gain an advantage by disrupting Norris's tire strategy 
. The stakes are high, and every move will have significant consequences for each driver 
like what if verstappen tries 2 use them 'backing up' tactics tho? it wud be lowkey crazy if he can make it work. george russell's got some hope 2 sneak in there but i feel like sky sports is right on it tho - verstappen needs 2 mess with norris's tire life 2 get ahead 
, but Verstappen's 'backing-up' tactics are gonna be super intriguing 
. If he pulls it off like Hamilton did 9 yrs ago 
. But Verstappen's 'all out' strategy 
He wants that championship bad!
All these strategists and pundits are so caught up in trying to outsmart each other. Can't they just focus on making the best racing show possible for us, the fans?! 
and make sure his tires last all the way to the end 
. George Russell is a dark horse for now tho 
, could he sneak in some podiums?