In the ultimate finish for the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, Max Verstappen has put maximum pressure on points leader Lando Norris by capturing the pole at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
While Verstappen needs to win the race to capture a fifth straight title, Norris’ 12-point cushion in the standings might just be enough to hang on for that title. Fittingly, the only other person who could capture that crown is his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished qualifying in third.
Continue reading for our Formula 1 picks and Formula 1 odds ahead of tomorrow's season finale.
2025 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix prediction and picks
- Verstappen to win (-225 at bet365)
- Russell to podium (+110 at bet365)
2025 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix odds
| Driver |  |
|---|---|
 Max Verstappen |
-250 |
 Lando Norris |
+225 |
| Oscar Piastri |
+800 |
 George Russell |
+3300 |
 Charles Leclerc |
+6600 |
 Fernando Alonso |
+10000 |
Odds as of 12-6.
F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 post-qualifying picks
Race prediction: Max Verstappen to win
-225 at bet365
It’s fitting that the sport’s most dominant driver finishes off the season in style — even though it’s more than likely he won't win a fifth consecutive Drivers’ Championship.
This might be Max Verstappen’s best year as a pure racer: he clearly didn’t have the best car, but he took the Red Bull as far as it could go, and when his team finally hit with some adjustments, he worked his way back into the race.
Max’s four-race win streak at the Yas Marina circuit was snapped last year by Norris, but he should be seeing that checkered flag tomorrow.
Best bet: George Russell to podium
+110 at bet365
If the prices for the two McLaren drivers weren't entirely nuked, I would have led you that way, but Norris is sitting at -334 to find the podium, and Piastri is right behind him at -225.
So let’s take a flier on George Russell, who has +110 odds to find the podium. He was third here in 2023, and he just finished second in Las Vegas two races ago.
F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 starting grid
| Position | Driver | Position | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | 2 | Lando Norris |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | 4 | George Russell |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | 6 | Fernando Alonso |
| 7 | Gabriel Bortoleto | 8 | Esteban Ocon |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | 10 | Yuki Tsunoda |
| 11 | Ollie Bearman | 12 | Carlos Sainz |
| 13 | Liam Lawson | 14 | Kimi Antonelli |
| 15 | Lance Stroll | 16 | Lewis Hamilton |
| 17 | Alex Albon | 18 | Nico Hulkenberg |
| 19 | Pierre Gasly | 20 | Franco Colapinto |
F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 pre-qualifying favorites
Max Verstappen is favored at +137 to make it six wins over the final nine races of the season. However, a win would not guarantee a fifth straight Drivers' Championship. Lando Norris, the second choice at +225, holds a 12-point cushion in the standings, meaning he just needs to hit the podium to clinch the 2025 title.
Oscar Piastri is technically still in the Drivers' Championship hunt but needs a lot to go right in order to take home the trophy. He sits at +333 prior to qualifying at Yas Marina Circuit.
George Russell is listed at +1000 to prevail in Abu Dhabi, while Kimi Antonelli is at +1400. The Mercedes drivers don't need to do much in order to stave off Red Bull for second in the Constructors' Championship standings behind McLaren.
It's slim pickings behind this quintet, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc (+2500) and Lewis Hamilton (+4000) playing out the string in what's been a brutal 2025 campaign. The remaining 13 drivers are 250-1 or longer.
Previous F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winners
| Year | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 2023 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2022 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2021 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2020 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
Understanding F1 betting odds
The most popular way to bet on Formula 1 odds is by simply picking the winner of a particular race. Other popular F1 betting options include which car/constructor will win and whether or not a particular race car driver will end up on the podium with a Top-3 finish.
F1 race odds usually look like this:
- Charles Leclerc +400
This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to profit $400 if Leclerc wins that particular race. If one driver is especially dominant, you might see a minus sign (-) ahead of that driver's odds like this:
- Max Verstappen -120
This means that you would need to bet $120 to win $100 on Verstappen winning the race.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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