Formula 1: Six instances Drivers' Championship was decided in last race

In 2025, the Drivers’ title will once again be decided on the final race!

In the 75-year history of Formula 1, the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will mark the 32nd time the battle for the Drivers’ Championship goes down to the final race of the season. While the majority of the season winners have been decided before the final race, sometimes the season becomes a nail-biting showdown that goes down to the final race of the season.

Here are the top six instances in chronological order when the F1 Drivers’ Championship was decided on the very last final race of the season.

6. Niki Lauda vs James Hunt – 1976 (Japan)

The title duel between James Hunt and Niki Lauda of 1976 became an iconic showdown that was ultimately portrayed on the big screen. The polar opposite personalities battled in a 16-race-long season. Lauda’s horrific crash at the German Grand Prix, a fiery accident that nearly cost him his life, changed the trajectory of the season.

Yet everything ultimately built toward a dramatic title showdown at a rain-soaked Fuji Speedway. After missing two races while recovering from severe burns suffered at the Nürburgring crash, Lauda returned to the championship fight.

The Ferrari driver’s dominant early-season form meant he entered the finale three points ahead of the McLaren driver James Hunt, who had won three of the previous four races. But in the dangerous, water-logged conditions at Fuji, Lauda chose to withdraw for safety reasons, a decision that opened the door for Hunt to clinch the championship by a single point.

Also Read: F1 Abu Dhabi GP 2025: Preview, weather, schedule, start time, how to watch & more

5. Michael Schumacher vs Damon Hill – 1994 (Australia)

The 1994 F1 season, one of the sport’s most tragic years, was marked by the demises of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna. The year was also overshadowed by controversy, much of which influenced the championship battle between rising star from Benetton, Michael Schumacher and Williams’ Damon Hill.

Hill, who initially started on the back foot, gained some momentum following two race disqualifications, followed by a two-race ban for Schumacher. Hill headed to the final race in Australia just one point behind Schumacher.

Schumacher initially led the final race with Hill close behind, but on lap 36, drama struck: Schumacher ran wide over the curb, and struck the outside wall before rejoining the track directly in front of Hill. Unaware of Schumacher’s incident, Hill tried to overtake on the inside at the next corner, but Schumacher also turned in, resulting in a destructive collision.

 Schumacher retired from the race, while Hill managed to continue for a short distance with severe damage to his FW16B. The clash handed Schumacher the world championship for the first time, in the backdrop of the controversial circumstances.

4. Lewis Hamilton vs Fernando Alonso vs Kimi Raikkonen – 2007 (Brazil)

Lewis Hamilton was on the cusp of becoming the first rookie World Champion as well as the youngest Champion at 22 years old in 2007. However, Hamilton’s McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen also had title chances heading into the final race at Interlagos.

In the end, Kimi Räikkönen claimed the 2007 World Championship by a single point, edging out Hamilton and Alonso, who ended the season tied for second. He sealed the title at Interlagos, winning the race to earn 10 crucial points, while Hamilton could manage only fifth and Alonso third.

3. Fernando Alonso vs Mark Webber vs Sebastian Vettel vs Lewis Hamilton – 2010 (Abu Dhabi)

Formula 1’s only four-way title decider came down to the final race of the 2010 season in Abu Dhabi. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso led the standings with 246 points, followed by Red Bull teammates Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, while Alonso’s former McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton was in fourth place.

While the battle for the crown was supposed to be between Alonso and Webber, as the prospects of Vettel and, particularly, Hamilton were very slim, given that they were respectively 15 and 24 points behind Alonso.

However, against all odds, Vettel claimed the 2010 title, becoming the youngest world champion at 23. He secured the title by winning the dramatic race, finishing the season with 256 points, edging out Fernando Alonso, who finished eighth by just four points, while Hamilton secured second position and Webber managed to finish sixth, not enough to clinch the title.

Also Read: Top six drivers with most wins at F1 Abu Dhabi GP

2. Lando Norris vs Max Verstappen vs Oscar Piastri – 2025 (Abu Dhabi)

Stepping into the Abu Dhabi GP 2025, Lando Norris was in pole position to win the F1 Championship. However, second-placed Max Verstappen was only 12 points behind, with Norris’ McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri just 4 points further back.

Verstappen took pole position during qualifying and needed Norris not to finish on the podium to grab his fifth World title, along with his fifth win at the Abu Dhabi GP. Max drove an incredible race, holding onto his position and finishing the race to bag his fifth P1 at the Yas Marina Circuit.

On the other hand, Piastri overtook Norris, who started second, to finish the race in P2. However, Norris managed to hang on with Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari, trying to chase him down. With a P3 finish in the race, Norris secured his maiden title with a two-point lead over Max Verstappen, ending the Red Bull driver’s bid to claim a fifth championship, a feat achieved only by Michael Schumacher.

1. Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen – 2021 (Abu Dhabi)

One of the most electrifying and dramatic seasons in recent memory was undoubtedly the 2021 season, where Mercedes driver and 7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, aiming for his eighth title, tussled with a young driver from Red Bull named Max Verstappen, who was aiming to secure his first title.

As the season continued, tensions began to flare, particularly after major crashes at Monza and Silverstone, which involved Mercedes and Red Bull, as well as their respective team bosses, Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, clashing over on-track incidents and team strategies.

Heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi, both were tied on 369.5 points. Max secured pole position for the season finale, but Hamilton took the lead into the first corner. What seemed like a clean victory for Hamilton turned into one of the most controversial decisions in F1 history as, with eight laps remaining, Williams driver Nicholas Latifi crashed into the barriers while pursuing Mick Schumacher, prompting a Safety Car.

The timing of the incident left Mercedes with a difficult choice as pitting Hamilton for fresh tyres would risk finishing behind the Safety Car, or staying out, maintaining the lead, and gambling on the race restarting with Verstappen on new soft tyres closing in.

Believing a restart would not occur in time due to rules on lapped cars, Mercedes chose to stay out. Red Bull, in contrast, pitted Verstappen, who rejoined the track with five lapped cars separating him from Hamilton.

Initially, Race Control displayed a message on the world TV feed stating that “lapped cars will not be allowed to overtake,” making it appear that the race outcome was effectively decided. However, after a late decision to allow only some lapped cars to unlap themselves, the race was restarted for a single lap, giving Max the opportunity to pass Lewis Hamilton and secure his first championship.

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