Max Verstappen secured a dominant victory at the 2025 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the Yas Marina Circuit, leading from pole to claim Red Bull’s final triumph of the season.
McLaren’s Lando Norris finished third on the podium, clinching his maiden Drivers’ Championship in a season-long battle that captivated fans worldwide. Oscar Piastri took second for McLaren, +12.594 seconds behind Verstappen’s winning time of 1:26:07.469 after 58 laps.
Qualifying Dominance Sets the Stage
Verstappen locked in pole position with a blistering 1:22.207 lap time, edging out McLaren’s Piastri and Norris in a tight front-row lockout for the papaya team.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified fourth, while Mercedes’ George Russell rounded out the top five, setting up a high-stakes finale under the Yas Marina lights. Practice sessions foreshadowed the drama, with Norris topping FP1 and FP2 timesheets, signaling McLaren’s edge in race pace.
Explosive Start and Early Leaders
The race kicked off with Verstappen holding the lead into Turn 1, as Piastri slotted into second ahead of Norris, who dropped slightly but recovered quickly.
Verstappen controlled the opening stint, leading laps 1-23 on medium tires before handing momentary control to Piastri during the pit phase from laps 24-40. No early safety cars disrupted the flow, allowing teams to execute clean one- or two-stop strategies on the abrasive track surface.
Mid-Race Strategy Battles Unfold
Pit stops became the pivotal chess match, with Verstappen’s single stop on lap 23 proving masterful as he undercut back into the lead on hards. Norris, opting for two stops to manage tire wear, lost time but maintained third, fending off Leclerc’s aggressive push in a duel spanning multiple laps.
Further back, penalties shook the midfield—Albon hit for pit-lane speeding, Gasly for track limits—while Alonso clawed to sixth in a gritty drive.
Tense Podium Fight and Title Clinch
As the race entered its final 15 laps, Verstappen stretched his advantage, pulling clear of Piastri who defended fiercely against Norris closing from behind. Norris crossed the line +16.572 seconds adrift but with enough points to seal the championship, ending Verstappen’s run despite the Dutchman’s race win.
Leclerc held fourth (+23.279s), Russell fifth (+48.563s), confirming McLaren’s constructors’ momentum.
| Position | Driver | Team | Time/Gap | Pits | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:26:07.469 | 1 | 25 |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +12.594s | 1 | 18 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +16.572s | 2 | 15 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +23.279s | 2 | 12 |
| 5 | George Russell | Mercedes | +48.563s | 1 | 10 |
| 6 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1:07.562s | 2 | 8 |
Lower Order Highlights and DNFs
Alonso’s sixth showcased veteran nous, ahead of Haas’ surprise Esteban Ocon in seventh and Lewis Hamilton’s eighth for Ferrari in his final Mercedes-adjacent outing.
Bearman scored for Haas in ninth, while midfield chaos saw Stroll, Tsunoda, and others battle for scraps amid tire degradation. No major DNFs marred the event, though retirements like Sargeant kept the field tight.
Championship Fallout and Team Reactions
Norris’s title win marked McLaren’s revival, with Piastri runner-up boosting their constructors’ lead into the off-season. Red Bull celebrated the race victory but conceded the drivers’ crown, while Ferrari and Mercedes eyed 2026 upgrades after solid but unspectacular runs. The result underscores the parity from recent regs, priming an explosive new era.
Looking Ahead to 2026
With Norris as champion, attention shifts to driver lineups and the 2026 power unit revolution, where McLaren’s momentum could dominate early.
Verstappen eyes revenge, Red Bull refines, and midfield teams like Haas build on breakthroughs. Yas Marina’s finale delivered drama fitting a title decider, setting high bars for next year.
Ranzi Sports 
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