Oscar Piastri enters the final round of the Formula One season in Abu Dhabi with a slim chance of becoming the first Australian world champion in 45 years. The McLaren driver trails teammate Lando Norris by 16 points and Red Bull's Max Verstappen by four points in the standings.
To win the title, Piastri must finish first or second in Sunday's race. A victory would secure the championship if Norris finishes no lower than sixth. Second place would require an even more improbable set of results, including Norris and Verstappen underperforming or failing to finish.
Piastri's path has been fraught with challenges, including a fast food chain curse, dubious enforcement of team orders, and a strategy error by McLaren that cost him victory in Qatar last weekend. Despite these setbacks, he remains in contention for what would be one of the most unlikely final-round comebacks in F1 history.
Norris has finished below sixth only four times this season, including retirements in Canada and the Netherlands, and a disqualification in Las Vegas. Verstappen, meanwhile, has won five of the past eight rounds and has a strong record in Abu Dhabi, with four consecutive wins from 2020 to 2023.
Last year's Abu Dhabi race saw Verstappen clip Piastri at the first corner, sending the Australian to the back of the pack. A similar level of chaos may be Piastri's only hope for the championship.
