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2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Prediction & F1 Tips: Verstappen 6/4 to shine in season-finale
Follow our F1 betting tips as Norris, Piastri and Verstappen battle it out for the title in the final race of the season
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tips
With just one race to go and three drivers in contention for the title, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the perfect end to what has been a great F1 season.
A few weeks ago, it seemed only a matter of time before Lando Norris won his first drivers’ championship, but disqualification for both McLaren drivers in Las Vegas and Max Verstappen’s victory in Qatar last time out, ahead of Oscar Piastri, means the title race is now wide open.
Norris leads the way by 12 points from Verstappen, while his teammate Piastri is third, just 16 points behind, so still in a great position to secure his maiden title too.
Betting sites make Norris a strong favourite to win the title, but when Verstappen is chasing his fifth consecutive title and has won the last two races, it’s hard to see past him celebrating again on Sunday.
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Verstappen has won five of the last eight races of the season and has won in Abu Dhabi four times, but he was fourth in his last race at the Yas Marina Circuit, which was won by Norris.
There are so many permutations on the day, but the simplest one for Norris is knowing a win will see him crowned champion, and he won’t want to take any risks; otherwise, he could end up like Fernando Alonso.
Back in 2010, there were four drivers in with a chance of taking the title in Abu Dhabi, including a Brit.
Lewis Hamilton was in with an outside chance, but he was 24 points behind the leader, Alonso, who faced a battle with Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.
Alonso was beaten in the final race by Vettel; he should still have won his third title as he was leading the German by 15 points, but he only managed a seventh-place finish to hand Vettel the first of his four titles.
Norris’s most straightforward path to victory is to win the race, but Verstappen is finishing the season in fine style and may be tough to deny. Even if the Red Bull driver takes the chequered flag, Norris will still be champion if he comes second or third.
Another scenario is a Piastri win, in which case Norris could afford to finish outside the podium places, so when you look at it like that, then it’s definitely the Brit’s title to lose.
This time last year, the two McLaren’s qualified in first and second place, with Norris taking pole and the win from the two Ferrari’s of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, after Piastri and Verstappen collided on the first corner.
That victory earned McLaren their first Constructors' Championship since 1998, and victory this time would earn Norris his first ever title - but can he keep his nerve?
The Briton should come away with the top prize, but it could be nervy with Verstappen determined to make it hard for Norris.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix prediction 1: Verstappen to win - 6/4 BetMGM
Who else will shine in Abu Dhabi?
It’s easy to assume Norris, Verstappen and Piastri will fill the podium, but will it really go to plan?
As we know, two of the three collided on the first corner 12 months ago, which had a huge impact on the final result.
The trio have only all finished on the podium together three times this season, and Verstappen won all three.
Beyond that trio, Sainz catches the eye on F1 betting sites. The Williams drivers finished second in Abu Dhabi last year, and he was also on the podium last weekend in Qatar.
It was only his second podium finish of the season, but he has a proven record at Yas Marina, finishing in the top six in four of the last five races.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix prediction 2: Sainz to finish in the top six - 11/4 BetMGM
Free bets for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
F1 free bets aren’t easy to come by, but 10bet are offering punters a £10 free bet for this weekend when they wager £50 on motorsport.
To qualify, bettors need to opt in to the promotion on 10bet’s site and then wager £50 or more on motorsport, including F1, at odds of evens (2.0) or greater.
Once the bets have been settled, punters will receive a £10 free bet to use on Formula 1.
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