Formula One's former supremo Bernie Ecclestone has made a dramatic prediction for this weekend's championship decider, firmly backing Max Verstappen to clinch the title and shatter the ambitions of a "cocky" Lando Norris.
The Godfather's Verdict
The 95-year-old, who ruled the sport for four decades, is already in the United Arab Emirates ahead of the final race. He senses that Verstappen will secure the championship despite facing a significant points deficit. Verstappen enters the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 12 points behind McLaren's Norris, with Norris's teammate, Oscar Piastri, also in mathematical contention, sitting 16 points off the lead.
"I still believe Max will do it. He deserves it," Ecclestone exclusively told Daily Mail Sport. He revised his long-held view on the sport's greatest driver, stating, "I used to say Alain Prost was the best driver of all time... but I think Max is the best I have known. He stands alone."
Pressure Points and Pit Stop Politics
While acknowledging Norris as a "really good driver," Ecclestone was critical of the Briton's mentality. "He is over-confident, too cocky, believing his own publicity," he claimed. "He gets nervous at crunch moments and can’t quite deliver the way Max can when the pressure is on."
Ecclestone also questioned McLaren's team strategy in supporting Norris, citing the Italian Grand Prix in Monza where the team order was switched after Norris suffered a poor pit stop. "That way of working may yet be good for them, I don’t know. It’s not what I would have done," he remarked. "A bad pit stop is part of racing. You have to accept it, not engineer it."
The Final Showdown in Abu Dhabi
Despite the points gap favouring Norris—who can win the title by finishing third even if Verstappen wins the race—Ecclestone's faith in the Red Bull driver is unshaken. "I said from the start of the season that Max would do it in the end, and I still believe that is the case," he affirmed.
He highlighted Verstappen's mindset as a key advantage: "He has nothing to lose, so that is also an advantage, too. You can never bet against Max. He is something special. He is one-off, and a super-nice guy, and I hope he gets the job done."
In a sign of the intense pressure, Lando Norris has withdrawn from his customary pre-race briefing with the British press for the first time in his 152-race career, opting to focus entirely on the monumental task ahead. The stage is now set for a thrilling climax to the Formula One season under the lights of the Yas Marina Circuit.
