Another thrilling day in the desert, as day two of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix serves up twists and turns. For the 32nd time in F1 history, the Drivers’ Championship will be decided in the last race of the season!
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice Race 3
The final practice session before qualifying was a dramatic affair. In a busy, incident-filled session, George Russell of Mercedes AMG edged out Lando Norris by the narrowest of margins, just 0.004 seconds, to top the timesheets with a 1:23.334.
Norris, who had looked set to complete a clean sweep of all practice sessions after leading Friday’s first two, had to settle for second as Russell posted his late-session flyer.
Max Verstappen, and Norris’ principal challenger for the finale, locked in third in the session.
But the session wasn’t just about timings; there was track drama too. Lewis Hamilton’s crash arguably caused one of the biggest headlines of the day as he crashed out of Turn 9.
A dramatic high-speed spin and impact triggered red flags, potentially hampering his pace heading into qualifying.
That crash was reported to stem from a mechanical issue and shook the paddock’s confidence in the typically dependable setup of his car. Leaving Hamilton’s qualifying hopes under a cloud.
So by the close of the last practice session, there was a real sense that the battle for pole would be razor-tight, but also that chaos was not off the table.
Qualifying
As twilight settled over Yas Marina Circuit, the qualifying session began. In a tense showdown, Verstappen unleashed a scintillating lap for Red Bull, posting 1:22.207 to take pole position.
Norris, the championship leader heading into the weekend, came up just 0.201 seconds short. Enough to leave him agonisingly close to the pole, yet still chasing as the title decider draws near.
Piastri, sitting third after qualifying, remains alive in the championship hunt, though the margin for error for him is now razor-thin.
Elsewhere, the qualifying result underscored just how open Sunday’s race could be. With the top contenders so tightly packed and with the unsettled atmosphere from Practice 3, anything could happen.
Title On a Knife-Edge
With pole in Verstappen’s pocket but Norris still leading the championship by 12 points, and Piastri just behind, the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale has become a loaded trap for all three title contenders.
Russell’s strong practice session and the mixed fortunes of teams like McLaren and Red Bull suggest there’s more than one threat to the top of the standings.
And with Hamilton’s crash hanging over Ferrari’s weekend, surprise performances, or unexpected setbacks, loom as very real possibilities.
In post-qualifying interviews, the tension was obvious; Verstappen looked primed and confident, whereas Norris and Piastri were bracing themselves for a high-stakes showdown.
Come the season decider, the fight for the drivers’ crown could be decided not just by speed, but by nerves, strategy, and survival.
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