Max Verstappen will have a decision to make if he’s out front with Lando Norris just behind. Norris only needs a podium finish to clinch the championship.
Max Verstappen will face a delicate scenario if he leads Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Lando Norris running second. With Norris needing only a podium to secure the title, the championship picture could hinge on how aggressively both drivers approach the race.
Verstappen could try to pull away and hope misfortune strikes his rival, or he could attempt to slow Norris down and expose him to pressure from the pack — a tactic full of risk, especially if it hands Norris an opening to take the lead. The reigning champion admits he would have little to lose by trying, but changes to the Yas Marina layout may make such a plan unrealistic.
Verstappen says Abu Dhabi circuit layout makes backing up rivals harder
During his Dutch media session, Verstappen was asked whether he might mimic Lewis Hamilton’s 2016 defensive tactics against Nico Rosberg. He paused long enough to draw laughter before explaining why the modern layout makes that strategy nearly impossible.
Verstappen finished fourth in that 2016 race, but says the two removed chicanes and a faster lap — now nearly 14 seconds quicker — have fundamentally changed the dynamics. With a stronger slipstream effect and fewer slow corners, holding up the field is much more difficult than it was a decade ago. He noted that the old left-right hairpin and more fragile tyres once made bunching up competitors far easier: “It’s not as easy now with this layout.”
Could Oscar Piastri intervene in the title fight?
Sky Sports commentator David Croft believes Oscar Piastri could choose to back up Norris if he leads a McLaren one-two, a move that would be far more controversial. While it might improve Piastri’s slim title chances, it would also raise the risk of Verstappen stealing the championship from McLaren entirely, potentially causing serious internal repercussions.
The manoeuvre is legal — despite Sebastian Vettel labelling it “dirty” in 2016 — but McLaren would be wary of chaos on such a decisive weekend. Norris, meanwhile, will look to make the entire scenario irrelevant by taking pole and controlling the race from the front, though the pressure of a first title could influence how cautiously he drives.
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