Carlos Sainz believes Lando Norris will hold a significant advantage in the decisive 2025 Formula 1 title showdown, simply because the final race is held in Abu Dhabi.
Ahead of the Yas Marina weekend, the McLaren driver leads Max Verstappen by 12 points and his teammate Oscar Piastri by 16. A podium finish on Sunday would be enough for Norris to secure his maiden world title.
According to Sainz, this will be a relatively straightforward task for Norris, who, in the Spaniard's words, has always performed strongly in Abu Dhabi. This is evidenced by the fact that last year, the McLaren driver was practically untouchable at Yas Marina, triumphing in a race he started from pole position.
“I’ll be following things closely. I think everyone knows how well I get along with Lando, and I wish him the best possible outcome. I also have immense respect for Max and Oscar and wish them all the best too, but I think Abu Dhabi is Lando’s track. I believe it’s good for him that the finale is here because, from my experience as his teammate, this is one of his strongest circuits. The victory he secured ahead of me last year still stings. He dominated the race last year ahead of me. I know this is Lando and McLaren’s track; he will play to that advantage. Still, going into the final weekend knowing you need a podium is never easy, even with a McLaren. He needs to have a perfect weekend. Given his recent performance under pressure, I think he will manage it,” Sainz explained to reporters at Yas Marina.