The pressure is astronomical as the F1 circus heads into its Abu Dhabi finale, with the Drivers’ Championship to be decided in the very last kilometre. Even Oscar Piastri, known for his ice-cold composure, cannot fully hide the tension. The same goes for Lando Norris, who in the past has shown that he struggles at times with Max Verstappen’s relentless consistency and determination. In a sport like Formula 1, where the smallest mistake can be fatal, mindset is everything.

Is it better to be the hunter or the hunted? For seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, there is no doubt: “It’s always better to be the hunter: you have less pressure and nothing to lose.” His words perfectly capture the dynamic among the three title contenders in Abu Dhabi’s Grand Finale: the two McLaren drivers with everything to lose, and Max Verstappen with everything to gain.

The three racers approach the weekend with markedly different attitudes. Championship leader Lando Norris has shown that under pressure he is prone to errors, and he no longer appears unaffected by the ruthlessness of Verstappen—once a close friend. We saw signs of this at the start of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. “I have never been in this situation. At the minute, I feel good. I come into the weekend not thinking of the title fight. I tried to recharge after Qatar by playing some golf, spending time with my mates, and having a good time. And I’m looking forward to doing that on Monday, whether I’m hungover or not. So yeah, really, it’s the same as always, and I think it’ll be the same on track as it’s been the last few weeks. There’s been pressure, but I’ve still felt comfortable and good in the car. So yeah. All good.”

Lando also openly acknowledges the possibility of not winning: he has invited friends and family, as he does at the end of every season. “Every year I invite some of my friends – they support me every weekend, cheer for me. I always lean on them for advice and help at different moments. So yeah, win or lose, it’s always nice to share the end of the season with them. It’s nothing special. And my parents come to many races and they’re here again because it’s the final one – not because it’s good or bad. They always come to the last race. I want them to be here because, win or lose, it’s a moment I want to share with the people I care about.”

On the other side, his direct rival – four-time world champion Max Verstappen – has never seemed more relaxed. His historic comeback from –104 points after  the Dutch GP, where he finished second behind Piastri, to within 12 points of leader Norris is already a masterpiece. His calm and determination have lifted the whole team. As Laurent Mekies explains: “It is not a team that gives up. That is the magic secret, and it reflects the men and women committed at the track and back in Milton Keynes.”

“I’m very relaxed”, smiles Max. “Nothing to lose, you know? So I’m just enjoying being here. But for me, it’s not even about being here. I’ve enjoyed the second half of the season so much – working with the team, turning things around from difficult moments, going from frustration and disappointment to enjoying racing again. Having these wins is fantastic. Everything here now is just a bonus; sitting here fighting for the title is a bonus. That’s what makes it straightforward for me. We’ll just try to have a good weekend. But even then, it’s not really in my control, you know? So we just try to enjoy it.”

Looking back at the season, Verstappen added: “A lot of the races we didn’t have the pace to fight for a win, but here we are. I’m very proud of the season we’ve done, of how we’ve come back in the second half. So we’ll try to keep it fun now until the end.”
Max’s parents will not be in Abu Dhabi. “My dad is rallying in Africa. And my mom… well, it was not planned. I didn’t really expect to be in the title fight until the end. After Zandvoort everything was a bit cancelled. My mom is at home with the dogs. She’ll watch me on TV, lighting a candle as she always does.”
This intimate admission reflects how Max has changed over the years—now more than ever, a complete champion who carries his whole team with him.

“Max is incredibly relaxed,” adds team principal Laurent Mekies. “There is no acting. In the second half of the year, he has been the same in difficult moments and in good ones. He fully embraces our approach: race by race. We never looked much at the championship points. We focused on getting the car into the right window – which is difficult enough – and when we managed that, we knew we had a chance to fight for wins. On Sunday night, you look each other in the eyes and you know if you’ve done a good job. The points are just a consequence. That mindset has given both Max and the team the confidence to focus on the right things, not on pressure. It’s a privilege to be part of a historic fight, a historic comeback.”