Abu Dhabi showdown - how the F1 title can be won / Photo: Philippe Lopez - AFP
-
Fils dominates Cobolli to book Cincinnati final
-
Coach Rennie hails clinical All Blacks after Springboks Test win
-
Spurs lacked fight in dismal defeat at Brentford says De Zerbi
-
Charlton deliver blow to 'under pressure' Hammers boss Nuno
-
Inter thrash Monza to launch Serie A title defence
-
Carrick keeps calm despite Man Utd misery, big-spending Spurs crushed
-
Shambolic Spurs battered by Brentford
-
Canada's Carney stands up to Trump, despite risks
-
Pogacar wins Vuelta a Espana opening stage
-
Lens hammer Auxerre thanks to Thauvin penalty double
-
Clinical New Zealand shock wasteful South Africa in first Test
-
No singles for Serena, but she joins Alcaraz for US Open
-
Canada hits back with new tariffs after trade talks with US fail
-
Joao Pedro extends Chelsea stay with new long-term deal
-
Swedish police identify 17-year-old girl as victim in school sword attack
-
Yamaguchi to face An in hunt for fourth badminton world crown
-
Carrick keeps calm despite Man Utd misery, Sage beaten in first game as Palace boss
-
Norris clinches pole for Dutch GP
-
France to deliver interceptor missiles to Ukraine after new Russian strikes
-
Norris clinches pole for Dutch Grand Prix
-
Serena Williams and Alcaraz unite in US Open mixed doubles
-
Pope Leo calls for courage in Rimini visit after stop in tiny San Marino
-
Macron pledges air defence as 13 killed in Russia, Ukraine strikes
-
Man Utd must learn from 'frustrating' defeat at Hull: Carrick
-
DR Congo capital wary of Ebola nightmare
-
Yamaguchi on course for fourth badminton world crown
-
Swedish police name 17-year-old girl as victim in school sword attack
-
Man Utd humiliated by Hull in dismal start to Premier League season
-
South Korea sends first container ship through Arctic route
-
Anthropic market debut could break SpaceX IPO record: media
-
Trescothick eager to keep England job despite Hussey approach
-
Pope's 'couturier of the sacred' fueled by faith
-
Indonesia deploys hundreds of soldiers to tackle Borneo fires
-
Duplantis locked in on 'grinding' for big bars
-
The last lap: Fans, drivers bid fond farewell to Dutch GP
-
Stokes says decision to leave Headingley off Ashes roster 'shambolic'
-
Silesia Diamond League: four events to watch
-
New arrival Rodri to miss Elche opener: Barca's Flick
-
Russell wins Dutch GP sprint race, Antonelli fourth
-
Atletico's Alvarez to return against Villarreal: Simeone
-
Mercedes driver George Russell wins Dutch GP sprint race
-
Dozens of civilians killed, kidnapped as jihadists clash in Nigeria
-
Ukraine strikes kill two children after Russia's deadly mall attack
-
Former envoys urge joint French, UK action on Palestinian territories
-
Pope visits San Marino, before addressing Italian political gathering
-
Australia lead by 101 in 2nd Bangladesh Test as 18 wickets fall on day one
-
Trump tariffs heap up as Canada tries to curb US reliance
-
'Aura' battles leap from social media to Latin America streets
-
Australia lose three wickets after skittling Bangladesh for 64
-
US, Canada fail to reach trade pact to avert Trump tariffs
Abu Dhabi showdown - how the F1 title can be won
AFP Sport assesses how the 2025 Formula One drivers' title can be won at the season finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend:
The state of play
After 23 races of the 24-race season Lando Norris leads the championship on 408 points, 12 clear of Red Bull's four-time champion Max Verstappen and 16 clear of his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. This is the first time more than two drivers have been in with a shot of claiming the title since 2010.
- Norris -
"All" Norris has to do to claim his maiden title is finish on the podium at Yas Marina, irrespective of where his two title rivals finish.
A top-three result is all the Briton requires - sounds straightforward given McLaren's overall dominance - they wrapped up the constructors' crown two months ago in Singapore.
But on a cautionary note Norris has failed to make the top three in six races this year, including his disqualification from second in Las Vegas due to a technical infringement.
On the plus side, the 26-year-old won in Abu Dhabi last year.
- Verstappen -
Verstappen has happy memories of the last time he lined up at Yas Marina with the title in play - in 2021 he controversially denied Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to claim the first of his four successive championships.
His relentless drive to keep in the hunt for a fifth title secured him a seventh win of the season in Qatar last weekend. That lifted him into second in the standings, having been well out of the picture, 104 points behind, after the Dutch Grand Prix back in August.
To complete his remarkable season Verstappen needs to win on Sunday and Norris finish no higher than fourth and the 2025 crown is his.
- Piastri -
The Australian's chances are slim, but given how this season has thrown up the unexpected time and time again the coolest customer on the grid cannot be ruled out.
After one of his best weekends of the season in Qatar he readily admitted he will "need a lot of things to go in my direction" to end up champion.
His task is clear if not simple - he will take the title if he finishes first or second and both Norris and Verstappen have an off day.
D.Johnson--AT