2m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:15pm

Wouldn’t that be nice…

Evening Simon. The Grand Finale ! Anything can happen tonight, anything at all. Starting chaos, off-track excursions, stewards’ time penalties, tyre/pit strategic errors …… Let’s hope for a great close race where all stay safe, there are no lingering controversies and we end by saying “Yeah – he deserved that win and the championship.”

– Old timer

I have a lingering suspicion that there may be some controversy before the night is out, Old Timer.

I hope I am wrong.

But it just feels like in this Drive to Survive era, anything could happen.

7m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:10pm

What happened last year?(Getty Images)

Lando Norris won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year.

It was the race victory that gave McLaren the constructors title that year, ahead of Ferrari and McLaren’s first since 1998.

It was helped by an incident that happened at the first corner, when Verstappen, who qualified fifth, made a late dash down the inside of the first corner and took out Oscar Piastri, who started second on the grid.

Verstappen recovered to finish sixth, Piastri 10th, while Norris streaked away to win.

But it meant that Piastri said he would be an interested observer about what’s going to happen at turn one this year.

“Turn one I’m not sure,” he said,

“But I’ll have some [popcorn] handy.”

16m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 12:01pm

How can each driver win the title?

If you needed that all outlined in a bit more detail, you can read this.

21m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:56amHow can Lando Norris win the title?(Getty Images)

He is clearly the favourite, with a lead in the drivers championship coming into this final round.

Here’s how the Brit can win the title.

Norris finishes first, second or third:

He will win the title regardless what the others do.

Norris finishes fourth:

He will win if Verstappen finishes second or lower.

It won’t matter where Piastri finishes.

Norris finishes fifth:

He will win if Verstappen finishes second or lower.

It won’t matter where Piastri finishes.

Norris finishes sixth:

He will win if Verstappen finishes second or lower.

He will win if Norris finishes second or lower.

Norris finishes seventh:

He will win if Verstappen finishes second or lower.

He will win if Norris finishes second or lower.

Norris finishes eighth:

He will win if Verstappen finishes third or lower.

He will win if Norris finishes second or lower.

Norris finishes ninth:

He will win if Verstappen finishes fourth or lower.

He will win if Norris finishes second or lower.

Norris finishes tenth:

He will win if Verstappen finishes fourth or lower.

He will win if Norris finishes third or lower.

30m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:47amHow can Max Verstappen win the title?

Max Verstappen is shooting for a fifth consecutive drivers title.

Can the Dutchman get the job done here, having mounted a comeback for the ages?

Here’s how he can do it.

If Verstappen win the race:

He will win the title if Norris finishes fourth or lower.

It won’t matter where Piastri finishes.

If Verstappen finishes second:

Norris has to finish eighth or lower.

Piastri has to finish third or lower.

If Verstappen finishes third:

Norris has to finish ninth or lower.

Piastri has to finish second or lower.

35m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:42amHow can Oscar Piastri win the title?(Getty Images)

Oscar Piastri has the easiest path to the title – but the hardest to execute.

Here’s how he can do it.

If Piastri wins the race:

Norris must finish sixth or lower and he will win the title.

It doesn’t matter where Verstappen finishes

If Piastri finishes second:

Norris must finish 10th or lower.

Verstappen must finish fourth or lower.

41m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:36am

Here come the contenders

47m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:30am

‘There’s still belief’: Piastri(Getty Images)

The three championship leaders are talking now ahead of the drivers parade.

Lando Norris says that he slept “surprisingly good” last night.

“I’m excited. It’s a big moment for all of us,” he says.

“This is what we’ve been waiting for our whole lives.

“There’s no point trying to guess too many things, we’ll just see how it goes.”

As for Oscar Piastri, he still has hope.

“Yeah, there’s still belief, still the hope,” he says.

“There’s a few things that need to happen but it wouldn’t be the first time in F1 history that things have happened.”

He says all he needs to do is to get himself into a position to win the race.

“Win the race, that’s all I can do.”

53m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:24am

Grid positions

Here’s how qualifying went yesterday.

It’s a marketers dream – the top three in the championship occupying the top three positions.

(F1)

Here’s how it all went down, and how Piastri was feeling after qualifying.

58m agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:19am

Oscar Piastri’s humble beginnings

The Oakleigh Go-Kart Racing Club may have one of its alumni claim a world title later tonight.

That’s where Oscar Piastri first developed his love of speed when he was eight years old.

There will be few people prouder than club president Adam Bourke if Piastri gets his moment.

Read all about Piastri’s origin story, here.

1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:12am

McLaren must ‘work together’: Martin Brundle

The Sky Sports coverage has just started, and they have leaped right into it.

Martin Brundle says that the only advantage that McLaren has is for them to work as a pair.

“They’ve got to work as a formation team,” Brundle says.

“They’ve got to be a pair of speedway drivers, and work together.

“That’s the strength McLaren have.

“Red Bull has pole position, Max can probably take the lead into the first corner and control the pace, the strategy.

“So McLaren has to use both their drivers, that’s all they’ve got to spoil Red Bull’s day.”

But, as Nico Rosberg mentions, “Oscar has zero interest in working with Lando.”

Brundle acknowledges that, but says McLaren needs to think carefully.

“I’m sure McLaren want to get both of them into a championship position.”

1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 11:03amWhat time is the race?

Formula 1 fans are no stranger to late nights, and the season finale is no different than usual in that respect.

Here is when the lights will go out in each of Australia’s states and territories:

12am AEDT, Monday, December 8: NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas11:30pm ACDT, Sunday, December 7: South Australia11pm AEST, Sunday, December 7: Queensland10:30pm ACST, Sunday, December 7: Northern Territory9pm AWST, Sunday, December 7: Western Australia

1h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:54am

Formula 1 title decider(Getty Images)

Hello folks and welcome to what promises to be one of the all-time classic final day showdowns in Formula 1 history.

Lando Norris.

Max Verstappen.

Oscar Piastri.

All three are in with a chance of winning the Formula 1 drivers title today.

Lando Norris is in the box seat — finish on the podium and become the 11th British man to win the drivers title.

For Max Verstappen, who starts this race on pole, the equation is more complicated.

For Oscar Piastri, it’s even harder – not least because he is up against his teammate as well as one of the all time greats.

So much could happen in the next few hours, and it will be my pleasure to bring it to you all throughout the night.

So settle yourselves down and get yourself ready and we’ll bring you all the action live.