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Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Lap 10/58

    VerstappenGetty Images

    Are Max Verstappen's tyres graining already? So says the eyes in the sky on the telly. The Dutchman is leading Oscar Piastri by two seconds and third place Lando Norris by 3.8 seconds.

    Norris will be crowned champion if the positions stay like this.

  2. Team radio - Piastri

    Engineer: "Let's see if we can start putting Verstappen under pressure."

  3. Lap 9/58

    Yep. Both Ferrari and Williams send up the signal and the two drivers head into the pits. Hamilton goes hard and comes out in 18th place, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg. Albon, meanwhile, goes on to the same tyre but is now running last.

  4. Lap 8/58

    Nico Hulkenberg was a soft starter for his 250th grand prix but the German Sauber driver has dumped the red rubber and switched to the hard tyre. Will Lewis Hamilton and Alex Albon do the same?

  5. Team radio - Verstappen

    Engineer: "This is good now for Max, we may wish to go longer so keep on top."

  6. Lap 7/58

    Norris being chased by LeclercGetty Images

    Charles Leclerc is following Lando Norris closely in his Ferrari for that third place but the Briton is managing his tyres well at the moment. The pair are both on the medium compound but the Scuderia is slightly quicker in race trim.

  7. 'Leclerc creating a problem for Norris'

    Damon Hill
    1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live in Abu Dhabi

    Charles Leclerc has been on fire trying to get his car in the race and he's not backing off. He's actually creating a problem for Lando Norris now because he's got within the DRS and very nearly went for a pass.

    That would put Lando into fourth and fourth is not good if Max Verstappen wins.

  8. Lap 6/58

    Verstappen leading Piastri and NorrisGetty Images

    Max Verstappen is ahead of Oscar Piastri by 2.3 seconds following the Australian's bold move on team-mate Lando Norris to get himself up to second place. Piastri is on the hard tyre, the opposite to his team-mate, who started on the mediums.

  9. Lap 5/58

    The phone rings for Lando Norris and his engineer asks if he's OK with things. If Norris was to drop to fourth place and Max Verstappen wins, the Red Bull man will collect his fifth title in a row.

    The replays of the race start show Fernando Alonso making a storming jump on Charles Leclerc and George Russell, with the Mercedes driver the main loser in that battle.

  10. Get Involved

    Click the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Paul in Kent: Wishing Lando good luck. Don’t trust RedBull/Verstappen. McLaren need to be wised up strategically.

    Rita in Loughborough: Go for it Norris, you deserve to win the title.

    Noah in Somerset: Norris needs to keep it tight and just have a good drive. Try to have no thoughts about the title

  11. Russell overtakes Alonso

    Lap 4/58

    There's a long, long way to go in this race but on lap four, Max Verstappen is clocking fastest laps in his Red Bull. George Russell spots a gap on the inside of veteran Fernando Alonso and the Mercedes driver is back up to fifth.

    Championship leader Lando Norris in third is being hassled by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc for that podium place. The McLaren driver is under pressure.

  12. 'Very decisive and meaningful move by Piastri'

    Damon Hill
    1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live in Abu Dhabi

    That was a very decisive and meaningful move by Oscar Piastri, around the outside of Lando Norris.

    I actually think that is very good for Lando in some sense because it means that Oscar can go and get Max Verstappen.

  13. Lap 3/58

    Franco Colapinto has been noted for a start infringement and Lewis Hamilton has been clocked for for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Hamilton is chasing down Ollie Bearman for 12th place after gaining a spot at the start.

  14. Get Involved

    Click the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Steven in Whitworth: 2 McLarens v 1 Red Bull. Who is your money on?. Surely the McLarens can't mess it up again. Lando just needs to bring it around and team orders to assist.

    Kenny in Lisburn: Come on Norris. Get it done.

  15. Verstappen leading

    Lap 2/58

    Verstappen leading the McLarensGetty Images

    That was a smooth move by Oscar Piastri and now he's ahead of his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris. But that's OK for Norris, as he only needs to finish on the podium tonight to be crowned 2025 champion.

    Charles Leclerc is edging closer to Norris now in his Ferrari as DRS is enabled. Max Verstappen is leading by 1.9 seconds from Australian Piastri.

  16. Damon Hill
    1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live in Abu Dhabi

    Lando Norris did a very bold move going into Turn One there, he saw Oscar Piastri going around the outside and he had to move across to actually block him.

  17. Go! Go! Go!

    Lap 1/58

    start of the raceGetty Images

    Who is winning this title?

    Max Verstappen gets a clean getaway and leads from Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. George Russell has lost places to Fernando Alonso and is now running sixth.

    Piastri is on the hard tyre and he spies a chance to pass his team-mate - and he overtakes Norris! Piastri is in second, Norris down to third.

  18. Get Involved

    Click the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Bill in Barnsley: Well going right to the last race looks very much like the whole thing has been scripted in Hollywood to me!

    Robert in Tunbridge Wells: Go for it Max. Show McLaren that you’re undefeatable.

  19. Good luck, folks. Lando Norris has 12 points in his pocket over polesitter Max Verstappen. He just needs to finish on the podium at Yas Marina to be crowned champion.

    If he finishes fourth or lower and Verstappen wins the race, the Dutchman will secure a fifth straight title.

  20. 'There's bound to be some sort of tactical magic that Red Bull are going to do'

    Damon Hill
    1996 world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live in Abu Dhabi

    It's a fabulously tense battle, it's exciting and what we want really.

    They never give up, Red Bull have been astonishing and they have relentlessly encroached on McLaren and made them crack at times.

    I do sense that McLaren are anxious, they've got themselves in a situation where now there are quite a few permutations where they could lose out.

    There's bound to be some sort of tactical magic that Red Bull are going to do and I haven't worked out exactly what they are going to do.