Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Formula 1's longest ever season draws to a close with this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The drivers' championship was decided two races ago in Las Vegas, where Max Verstappen claimed his fourth straight drivers' crown, but the constructors' title is still to be settled.

Ferrari trail McLaren by 21 points with 44 up for grabs in Yas Marina, and with reasons to think the circuit will suit the scarlet cars better, that battle could well go down to the wire.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix betting tips and predictions

Carlos Sainz to win - 9/1

This has been a fascinating season in which the advantage has swung between four teams, but since the mini-break prior to the United States Grand Prix five races ago Ferrari have on balance been the strongest performers.

They recorded a 1-2 finish in Texas, Charles Leclerc building on a strong start to lead home Carlos Sainz, while the Spaniard turned the tables in Mexico.

Sainz posted probably the strongest weekend of his career, taking pole position and winning easily, while Leclerc lost second place to Lando Norris late on in the race.

They struggled in the rain in Brazil and then finished third and fourth In Las Vegas where they outclassed everyone except the Mercedes, who put in what now appears to have been a flash-in-the-pan performance.

The twisting Qatar circuit last week did not suit the Ferraris, but Leclerc was able to snatch second place just by keeping his nose clean in a chaotic race, while Sainz did well to salvage sixth despite being severely hampered by a puncture.

With its abundance of short, sharp corners and long straights, Abu Dhabi should play to Ferrari's strengths and the team will be going all out to secure a first constructors' title since 2008.

Leclerc is just eight points behind Norris for second in the drivers' championship, but Sainz is arguably finishing the season stronger.

As well as his brilliant weekend in Mexico City, Sainz picked up a podium in Vegas after managing his tyres better than Leclerc, while he was running directly behind his Monegasque team-mate in Qatar before running over a shard of debris and puncturing a tyre.

Some teams will marginalise a driver who is soon to be headed elsewhere, but that has clearly not been the case with Sainz, who will drive for Williams in 2025.

The Spaniard, who also won in Australia this season, looks a value bet at the odds.

Oscar Piastri podium finish - 11/4

McLaren will be looking for a solid effort from both drivers as they bid to hold on to their constructors' championship advantage and grab a first teams' title since 1998.

Norris is disputing favouritism for this race, but his team-mate Oscar Piastri is a very attractive 11/4 just to make the podium.

Piastri picked up his first top-three finish for five races in Qatar, but his performances in the meantime have been better than the results suggest.

The Australian was eighth in Mexico, where a messy qualifying session saw him start 17th on the grid, while in Las Vegas he was penalised for a false start and again found himself having to fight through traffic.

But in Brazil he handed over what would have been a comfortable sprint victory to aid Norris' cause and won the shorter race in Qatar after the Briton returned the favour, so the potential is clearly there.

Piastri put together a run of six podiums in eight races in the middle of the season, which included wins in Hungary and Azerbaijan, and if he can find anything like that form in Abu Dhabi he can end the year with another trophy.

Yuki Tsunoda points finish - 12/5

Qatar was a weekend to forget for the RB team, but Yuki Tsunoda has enjoyed a strong season overall and looks overpriced for a top-ten finish in Abu Dhabi.

The Japanese driver had finished in the points in the two previous races and was eliminated before the first corner after starting 11th in Mexico prior to that.

He has responded well to the arrival of the highly touted Liam Lawson in the second seat, Tsunoda outqualifying the New Zealander in all five of their races together this term.

He has managed nine points finishes in all, spread throughout the season and is worth a punt to add to his tally at Yas Marina.

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Abu Dhabi Grand Prix odds

Lando Norris - 9/4
Max Verstappen - 9/4
Charles Leclerc - 5/1
George Russell - 8/1
Carlos Sainz - 9/1
Oscar Piastri - 9/1

View the full market and more odds for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on site

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.