THE GREATEST SHOWDOWN ON EARTH

Lando leads but faces huge battle to seal the deal

- BY DANIEL MOXON

AFTER 23 grands prix and six sprint races in a nine-month slog across five continents and 21 countries, it all comes down to this.

The decider in the desert. Fifty-three laps to decide whether either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri can fulfil their childhood dreams, or if the juggernaut that is Max Verstappen will continue to crush everything in his path.

Tomorrow, Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit will host only its second title showdown including more than two drivers.

The other was in 2010, when a Red Bull driver who had not led the championship all season leapfrogged his rivals on the final day to snatch the glory. Make no mistake, Verstappen is out to repeat Sebastian Vettel’s accomplishment again.

A late-season surge, helped by huge McLaren blunders in Las Vegas and Qatar, has remarkably put the Dutchman back into contention.

Only three months ago, he was 104 points off the lead and had cancelled any tentative title celebration plans that had been put in place.