TITLE CONTENDERS REFLECT AHEAD THE LAST RACE OF THE F1 SEASON
The 2025 Formula 1 championship title contenders have reflected on the last race of the season during the press conference on Thursday, December 4th.
For Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri, this is a normal weekend like the others, and they will try to push as much as possible for the win. Additionally, there are no regrets or bad feelings about the season, all of the three have admitteed that whoever wins the title, will be deserving it, as it should be.
The approach for all the drivers did not change at all, between padel matches, or high-intensity training, they are trying to avoid any pressure for the world title. Max Verstappen on his Abu Dhabi preparation:
“I spent some time with my daughter, figured some stuff out for GT3 for next year, for my Sim racing team for next year… Then arrived here.”
Lando Norris was the first to speak about the mistakes that may have cost him points this season:
“There are always little things that happen along the way, for example in Canada, or the qualifying in China, I have made mistakes that costed me points, but I think it is something that happens to everybody. There are also the unlucky moments, such as the DNF in Zandvoort.”
“As a team we have also made many mistakes such as last weekend in Qatar or the disqualification at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.”
Verstappen was quite straightforward on this topic:
“At the end of the day it is won over 24 races.”
“In general I’m just proud of the season, how we’ve come back in the second half. To pinpoint on one moment, that is a hard one.”
Max Verstappen was not expecting at all to be in the title fight, it is something he mentioned quite a few times during the past races and he did it again in today’s press conference:
“My father has a rally in Africa and my mother is at home. It wasn’t planned for her to come either. Because I hadn’t planned on still being in the title battle.”
When both Piastri and Norris were asked about team orders for the championship at Abu Dhabi, Norris said “It has not been discussed”. He adds that it is not up to him, he will not ask during the race, and he would not “expect” his team mate to move over for him.
“I also do not think I would ask for it; I do not think that is a fair request either. If it ends up like that and Max becomes champion, then so be it.”
“It is not something we have discussed,” reiterates Piastri. “I do not have an answer until I know what is expected of me.”
The three competitors are 16 points apart, with Lando Norris leading (408), ahead of the Four-time world champion Max Verstappen (396) and his team mate Oscar Piastri (392). There are hundreds of possible scenarios that could lead them all to the title, but it surely will not be an easy one, bring on Abu Dhabi.
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