The Formula 1 drivers' championship has gone down to the wire, with three drivers set to battle it out at the season-finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Lando Norris (408 points) leads Max Verstappen (396pts) by just 12 points heading into the final race of the campaign, with Australia's Oscar Piastri (392pts) just four points further back in third.
All three drivers can still claim the title.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the thrilling winner-takes-all decider.
When does the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix begin?
In Australia, the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be held on Sunday, December 7, or Monday, December 8, depending on where you are.
Here is when the race will begin in each of Australia's states and territories:
- 12am AEDT, Monday, December 8: NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas
- 11:30pm ACDT, Sunday, December 7: South Australia
- 11pm AEST, Sunday, December 7: Queensland
- 10:30pm ACST, Sunday, December 7: Northern Territory
- 9pm AWST, Sunday, December 7: Western Australia
How can I watch and follow the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
Fox Sports and its streaming platform Kayo will be broadcasting the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Those watching on Foxtel can catch the race on Fox Sports, channel 506.
You can also follow all the action with the ABC Sport live blog, from pre-race drama to the post-race synopsis.
How could Norris, Verstappen and Piastri each win the championship?
Let's start with the championship leader…
With 408 points, British driver Lando Norris has a 12-point lead over Red Bull's Max Verstappen, and a 16-point lead over his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
This means Norris is guaranteed to win his maiden world drivers' championship if he places either first, second or third.
In the event Norris is unable to finish on the podium, and instead finishes between fourth and seventh place, he would still win the championship if Verstappen failed to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
If Norris placed eighth, he would still win if Verstappen placed third or lower.
[standings]In the extreme event Norris places ninth or lower, he could still technically win his first championship, but it would require Verstappen to completely miss out on a podium as well.
Norris, Verstappen and Piastri have all won seven grands prix each, meaning a win in Abu Dhabi is critical.
Dutchman Max Verstappen has pulled off a remarkable mid-season comeback and is now within striking distance of claiming his fifth world drivers' championship.
But similar to the rest of the season, much of his success hinges on mistakes by McLaren.
Verstappen will win the championship if he finishes first, and Norris finishes fourth or lower — regardless of where Piastri finishes.
If Verstappen fails to win, but Norris places eighth or lower and Piastri places third or lower, Verstappen will still win the championship.
In the event that Verstappen places third, he could only pull off another championship victory if Norris places ninth, and Piastri finishes no higher than second place.
Australia's Oscar Piastri is fighting for his maiden world drivers' championship title.
But he is currently third in the drivers' standings, and therefore only has two pathways to success.
- If Piastri comes first in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he will win the championship title only if his McLaren teammate Lando Norris finishes sixth or lower — regardless of where Verstappen places.
- If Piastri comes second, his only remaining hope of winning the championship is if Norris places 10th or lower, and Verstappen places fourth or lower.
Despite going into the season finale in third spot, history shows us that a Piastri victory is still entirely possible.
In 2010, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel was third heading into the finale and beat out Fernando Alonso, teammate Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton for the title.
It was a similar story in 2007. Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen was third heading into the finale and ended up winning the championship by one point ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, who were McLaren teammates at the time.
Here is a refresher on the points system heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
| Position | Grand prix points |
| First | 25 |
| Second | 18 |
| Third | 15 |
| Fourth | 12 |
| Fifth | 10 |
| Sixth | 8 |
| Seventh | 6 |
| Eighth | 4 |
| Ninth | 2 |
| Tenth | 1 |
Will McLaren team orders come into play?
McLaren's "papaya rules" — where drivers are free to race, but they must keep the battle fair, clean and avoid colliding — have become one of the main storylines of the season.
There have been crucial moments where McLaren has asked both Norris and Piastri to let their teammate through in order to claim victory.
Norris said during a press conference on Friday that the prospect of asking Piastri — if he were out of championship contention — to let him through had not been discussed, saying it is not a "fair question".
"Honestly, I mean I would love it, but I don't think I would ask it," Norris said.
"It's up to Oscar if he would allow it. It's not necessarily down to me."
Piastri also said the scenario had not been discussed, adding, "I don't really have an answer until I know what's expected of me."
What do I need to know about the Yas Marina Circuit?
The Yas Marina Circuit is dominated by the 1.2-kilometre straight between turns five and six, the best spot for overtaking.
A chicane was removed before what is now the turn five hairpin in 2021, providing another good overtaking spot.
Verstappen made his championship-winning move — notwithstanding the controversy — on Hamilton at turn five in the final lap of the 2021 race.
Turn nine is the only other realistic overtaking opportunity for drivers, while the final sector of the lap is very technical.
Fast facts about the Yas Marina Circuit
- First race: 2009
- Number of laps: 58
- Lap distance: 5.281km
- Race distance: 306.183km
- Fastest grand prix lap: 1:25.637 — Kevin Magnussen (2024)
