Verstappen has a shot at equalling Schumacher’s record in Abu Dhabi

When the 2025 season revved into gear in Melbourne back in March, there was every expectation that this would be a championship to savour.

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Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen celebrates with a member of his team after winning the Qatar Grand Prix in Lusail on November 30. — AFP

(AFP)

Even though Max Verstappen had collected a fourth successive title in 2024, the pace of the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the second half of the season suggested that this year would be tight.

And so it has proved with the three of them still slugging away for the title as the 24-race season comes to a conclusion in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, with Norris 12 points ahead of Verstappen and Piastri a further four points back.

Now let’s take a look at how Verstappen kept his hopes alive of becoming only the second driver after German legend Michael Schumacher to win five world titles in a row.

If the season started well for McLaren with victory for Norris in Melbourne, it was near perfect in the second race in Shanghai as Piastri led home a 1-2 that sent a warning through the pitlane.

The McLarens were undoubtedly the best cars on the grid -- it would take something special to stop them.