During the FIA Thursday press conference at Yas Marina, the drivers in contention for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship gathered for a half-hour of questions before returning to the track for the race weekend. Max Verstappen appeared relaxed, almost on vacation mode: seated in a semi-reclined position, holding a can of Red Bull, and smiling at everyone. It was a world apart from the Verstappen who four years ago approached the weekend that would earn him his first, somewhat controversial, world title.
Beside him were the two McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. As always, they showed subtle signs of tension, with Norris remaining inscrutable and Piastri calm and composed. The paddock largely expects Norris to take the championship, with predictions from other drivers outside the title fight, including George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Isack Hadjar, and Kimi Antonelli, favoring him. Max Verstappen had only a few supporters, including Enzo Bortoleto and Esteban Ocon.
How they spent the days between Losail and Yas Marina
Verstappen described his downtime in his usual manner: “I spent some time with my daughter, then thought about improvements for next year’s GT3 program and my sim racing team, planning for the next season. Nothing too complicated.”
For Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, things were simpler. Piastri commented: “No GT3 for me, but I played paddle, as usual. There aren’t many days off, and one of those days was dedicated to marketing activities, and that’s about it.”
Verstappen maintained his usual calm demeanor, while for the other drivers it seemed like a mental preparation strategy to make the championship weekend appear ordinary. On the surface, nothing seemed exceptional, just a forced sense of normality.
Questions about potential teamwork on the track
The first real questions arose regarding a hypothetical scenario in which Piastri might assist Norris in the final lap, possibly affecting the outcome of the championship.
Norris responded: “No, we haven’t discussed it. Honestly, I would like to do it if asked, but I wouldn’t ask him. It depends on whether Oscar wants to or not. It would be the same if the roles were reversed. Would I be willing? Yes, because that’s who I am. But I don’t want to ask for anything, and if a similar scenario happens with Max winning, we’ll congratulate him and look forward to next year. It doesn’t change anything; it doesn’t affect my life.”
Piastri added: “It’s not something we’ve discussed — until I know how things will go, I don’t have an answer.”
Family presence and support
When asked if their families would be present in the paddock, Norris and Piastri confirmed they would attend. Verstappen explained: “I didn’t expect to be fighting for the title, so my father is competing in a rally in Africa and my mother is at home with the dogs. They’ll follow me on TV and support me, but I don’t need their presence to motivate me — that’s how we are. They know that when I’m in the car, I give everything I have. My mother also lights a candle before every race weekend, but I think she trusts me regardless.”
Managing pressure
Max Verstappen reflected on his mindset: “I’m very relaxed, I have nothing to lose, so I’m enjoying just being here. Beyond still being in the title fight, I’ve really enjoyed the second half of the season. We’ve done a great job as a team, turning around a situation that started difficult. From hard debriefs after races to smiling again, it’s fantastic.
I’ll take whatever comes; for me, it’s a bonus. That’s what makes it simple. We’ll try to have a good weekend — not everything is under our control, so we’ll do our best and see what happens.”
Norris admitted that his experience is new: “I’ve never been in this position, so it’s different for me compared to Max. But I feel good; I don’t think about it until you ask me. It’s part of my job, so it’s nothing shocking. In the last three days, I played golf with friends and had fun. I can’t wait to do it again on Monday, whether I have a hangover or not.”
Reflections on mistakes and regrets
Both Verstappen and Piastri avoided discussing potential regrets if they lose the title by a few points. Lando Norris, however, went into more detail: “If I went back to Canada, I’d probably act differently; the mistake cost me quite a few points. There was also qualifying in China and other minor mistakes during the season. But I think that happens to everyone. Circumstances like the retirement in Zandvoort or the disqualification in Las Vegas cost me points. It’s not bad luck; it’s just that the team didn’t do a perfect job.”
Teamwork and sharing data
The McLaren drivers confirmed that Yas Marina will be like any other weekend in terms of teamwork, including sharing data. Oscar Piastri said: “Even if we wanted, I don’t think the team would allow us to do otherwise.”
Norris admitted he has the most to lose among the three contenders: “I’m here as the championship leader. I’ll do my best to stay in that position until the end, just a few more days. If it doesn’t go my way, I’ll try again next year. I might be disappointed for a while, but then… it’s life. I’ll try to do better next season. Ultimately, I want to believe I have nothing to lose; it’s just a championship race.”
He added: “In 30 years, I probably won’t think about it much. If it happens, great. If not, I’ll try again next year. Of course, it would be great to fulfill that childhood dream and dedicate the success to those who helped me. That would be a real reward for all the hard work.”
Max Verstappen’s closing thoughts
In true Max style, he concluded: “The trophy looks the same — I already have four at home, so adding a fifth would be nice. We always aim to win, but I’ve already achieved everything I wanted in F1, so this is just a bonus. I’m here because I love what I do, and that’s how I approach this weekend: having fun and maximizing the result. Realistically, I don’t think we’ll be the fastest, but you never know; many things can happen, as in Qatar. So yes… we’ll see what happens.”
Three drivers, three completely different vibes. Sunday can’t come soon enough.
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