F1 Abu Dhabi GP 2025: Preview, weather, schedule, start time, how to watch & more
(Courtesy : F1)
Three drivers are in contention for the 2025 F1 title heading to Abu Dhabi.
The Formula 1 2025 season comes down to one final, high-stakes weekend in Abu Dhabi and unlike last year’s early championship finish, this one is pure chaos – three drivers battling for one title with endless possibilities.
Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri all head into Yas Marina with a mathematical shot at becoming World Champion. Norris leads the standings, but nothing is guaranteed.
Last year, Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, two races before the season finale in Abu Dhabi. However, Lando Norris’s victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix secured the Constructors’ title for McLaren for the first time since 1998.
The 2025 F1 championship battle so far
Lando Norris leads the standings with 408 points, needing only a podium to secure his first World Drivers’ Championship.
Verstappen sits just 12 points behind with 396, while Piastri stands third with 392. For both Verstappen and Piastri, the route to the title is clear. They need to finish high on the podium and hope Norris slips down from 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finish. Anything less would leave the Australian star out of reach.
One of the defining stories of 2025 has been Verstappen’s resurgence. After falling 104 points behind Piastri following the Dutch Grand Prix in August, his title hopes seemed all but over. Yet the second half of the season changed everything.
Back-to-back wins in Italy and Azerbaijan started the climb, but the real turning point came at the United States Grand Prix, where Verstappen swept both the sprint and the main race. McLaren stumbled that weekend.
While the drivers’ championship remains undecided, the Constructors’ Championship has been wrapped up long ago. McLaren successfully defended their title at the Singapore Grand Prix 2025 with 650 points.
Now there is a battle going on for the second-place finish between three teams – Mercedes (459 points), Red Bull (426) and Ferrari (298).
A season of surprises beyond the title fight
Only four drivers managed to win races this year. George Russell of Mercedes stands out as the sole non-McLaren or Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix. He won in Canada and Singapore, taking his total career tally to 5 race wins.
Ferrari’s 2025 season, meanwhile, was marked by disappointment even after Lewis Hamilton’s much-anticipated arrival. The seven-time champion managed only a sprint win and sits sixth in the standings with 152 points, trailing his teammate Charles Leclerc by a huge margin, who has 230 points.
On the other hand, Mercedes unveiled one of the standout surprises of the year in their 19-year-old rookie, who stepped into Hamilton’s former seat and delivered three podiums, more than Hamilton himself.
Another redemption arc came from Carlos Sainz, whose move to Williams revitalized his form. His podium in Azerbaijan and Qatar and a consistently competitive season, witnessed the Spaniard reignite his reputation. His teammate Alex Albon also delivered one of his strongest campaigns to date, currently holding 8th place with 73 points.
Adding to the season’s unexpected narratives, Red Bull’s young talent Isack Hadjar stunned the paddock with a podium at the Dutch Grand Prix. He achieved it in just his 15th Formula 1 career.
The 51 points that the 21-year-old French rookie earned in the Racing Bulls has earned him a seat beside the four-time champion Max Verstappen in Red Bull racing in the 2026 F1 season, where he will replace Yuki Tsunoda.
Also Read: Formula 1: Top 7 most iconic moments in Abu Dhabi GP history
What makes the Yas Marina Circuit special?
The Yas Marina Circuit is said to be not just a race track but an experience in itself. The season-ending Formula 1 race is traditionally held here, which has become the regular host of the F1 finale in recent years.
The track is 5.281 km (3.281 miles) long, consisting of 58 laps, which is famous for hosting the day-to-night race, where the sun sets and the floodlights take over, giving a cinematic view for fans.Its architecture features cars racing underneath the W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island hotel, whose shimmering LED canopy changes colour as the action unfolds.
The circuit also features F1’s only underground pit-lane exit, sending drivers through a tunnel before they rejoin the track.
The Yas Marina Circuit was introduced in 2009, and its first-ever Formula 1 race took place on November 1, 2009, which was won by the German legend Sebastian Vettel in Red Bull.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 schedule and time:
| Event | Date | Time | ||
| India (IST) | USA | UK | ||
| Free Practice 2 | December 5 | 15:00 – 16:00 | 04:30 – 05:30 | 09:30 – 10:30 |
| Free Practice 3 | December 5 | 18:30 – 19:30 | 08:00 – 09:00 | 13:00 – 14:00 |
| Free Practise 3 | December 6 | 16:00 – 17:00 | 05:30 – 06:30 | 10:30 – 11:30 |
| Qualifying | December 6 | 19:30 – 20:30 | 09:00 – 10:00 | 14:00 – 15:00 |
| Grand Prix | December 7 | 18:30 | 08:00 | 13:00 |
Weather forecast for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025:
The weather in Abu Dhabi this weekend is expected will be hot and dry with moderate winds swinging around the circuit.
Friday, December 5
- Max. temperature – 28 Celsius
- Min. temperature – 22 Celsius
- Chance of rain – 0%
- Wind – Light north-westerly
Saturday, December 6
- Max. temperature – 28 Celsius
- Min. temperature – 22 Celsius
- Chance of rain – 0%
- Wind – Light north-westerly
Sunday, December 7
- Max. temperature – 28 Celsius
- Min. temperature – 22 Celsius
- Chance of rain – 0%
- Wind – Moderate northerly wind
F1 Abu Dhabi GP 2025 Broadcast Information
Full list of countries and channels that broadcast the Formula 1 2025 around the world. Find out where to watch the F1 Abu Dhabi GP 2025.
| TERRITORY | BROADCASTER(S) |
|---|---|
| Africa | SuperSport |
| Albania | DigitAlb |
| Armenia | FastSports |
| Australia | Fox Sports, Foxtel, Kayo |
| Austria | Servus TV, ORF |
| Azerbaijan | Idman Azerbaijan |
| Belgium | RTBF, Play Sports |
| Bosnia | Sport Klub |
| Brazil | TV Bandeirantes, Bandsports |
| Cambodia | beIN SPORTS |
| Canada | RDS, RDS 2, TSN, Noovo |
| Caribbean | Rush Sports |
| China | To be confirmed |
| Chinese Taipei | Videoland, ELTA |
| Croatia | Sport Klub |
| Cyprus | Cytavision |
| Czech Republic and Slovakia | Nova |
| Denmark | TV3, Viaplay |
| Estonia | Go3 Estonia, TV3 |
| Eurasia | Setanta Sports |
| Finland | Viaplay |
| France | Canal+ |
| Germany | Sky Deutschland, RTL |
| Greece | ANT1, ANT1+ |
| Hong Kong | beIN SPORTS, Now Sports 1 & 2 |
| Hungary | M4 (MTVA Sports Channel) |
| Iceland | Viaplay |
| India | FanCode |
| Indonesia | beIN SPORTS |
| In-Ship & In-Flight | Sport 24, Sport 24 Extra |
| Israel | Sport 5 |
| Italy | Sky Italia |
| Japan | Fuji TV, DAZN |
| Kosovo | Sport Klub, Artmotion Kosovo |
| Laos | beIN SPORTS |
| Latin America | ESPN |
| Latvia | Go3 Latvia, TV3 |
| Lithuania | Viaplay, Go3 Lithuania |
| Luxembourg | RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg |
| Macedonia | Sport Klub |
| Malaysia and Brunei | beIN SPORTS |
| MENA | beIN Sports |
| Mexico | Fox Sports Mexico, Televisa |
| Montenegro | SportKlub |
| Myanmar | Canal+ Sports, Canal+ ACTION |
| Netherlands | Viaplay |
| New Zealand | Sky NZ |
| Norway | V sport 1, Viaplay |
| Papua New Guinea & Pacific Islands | TVWAN Sports |
| Philippines | beIN SPORTS |
| Poland | Eleven Sports |
| Portugal | DAZN |
| Romania | Antena |
| Serbia | SportKlub |
| Singapore | beIN SPORTS |
| Slovenia | SportKlub |
| South Korea | Coupang Play |
| Spain and Andorra | DAZN |
| Sweden | Viaplay |
| Switzerland | SRF, RSI, RTS |
| Thailand | beIN SPORTS |
| Turkey | beIN SPORTS |
| Ukraine | Setante Ukraine |
| United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland | Sky Sports, Channel 4 |
| USA | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Vietnam | K+ |
When is the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 taking place?
The race weekend runs from December 5 to December 7, 2025, with the Grand Prix scheduled for December 7 at 18:30 local time.
Where is the season finale being held?
The finale will once again take place at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the traditional host of Formula 1’s final race in recent years.
How long is the Yas Marina Circuit?
The circuit measures 5.281 km (3.281 miles) and consists of 58 laps.
What does Lando Norris need to win the title?
Norris needs a podium finish to secure his first World Drivers’ Championship, regardless of where Verstappen or Piastri finish.
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Uzma Fatima is a passionate sports journalist who believes every match has a story waiting to be told. Whether it's the grace of Olympic champions, the grit of tennis and badminton battles, or the drama of cricket’s highs and heartbreaks — she loves capturing the emotion behind the action. Off the field, she’s a Formula 1 enthusiast who never misses a race weekend.
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