F1 Today | Hamilton reunites F1 grid, drivers predict title fight outcome

23:07, 04 Dec

Updated: 23:17, 04 Dec

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byOwen Bradley

After the media day of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, recap the best stories of the day with GPblog here!

Hamilton reunites F1 grid for drivers' dinner ahead of Abu Dhabi GP

Lewis Hamilton brought together the entire 2025 grid for a special end of season drivers' dinner.

All of the 2025 drivers have reunited off the track, for a meal together ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the race which will decide the outcome of this years' drivers' championship.

Find out more about the special occasion here!

Alonso weighs in on title fight and comparisons to 2010

Fernando Alonso has weighed in on the championship battle between Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri, ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

Norris leads Verstappen by 12 points, and Piastri by 16. Norris needs to claim a podium finish on Sunday, regardless of where Verstappen and Piastri finish, in order to become the 2025 world champion.

However, two-time champion, Alonso, has weighed in on the 2025 championship fight, saying: "You always think that the leading guy has an advantage because he has some margin in terms of results and you can take it a little bit easier, but F1 is unpredictable."

Alonso experienced this in 2010, when he lost the championship to Sebastian Vettel at the final race in Abu Dhabi, despite leading the German by 15-points coming into the finale.

Speaking about the conclusion to the 2010 championship, the Spaniard said: “There was a safety car and back in 2010 that it was the wrong choice to not take it. It was a safety car last week, it was a wrong choice as well not to take it. But these things can happen in an F1 race so it's not guaranteed even if you are leading the championship.”

Finally, when asked if will have a world champion who isn’t the best driver if Verstappen doesn't win the title this weekend, Alonso replied jokingly: “This has been happening for the last 19 years now, so we’ll be the 20th.”

More drivers talked about the outcome of the three-way fight for the title. Find more verdicts here!

Read also

Photo: Race Pictures

Haas to race under new name

The Haas F1 team is set to be rebranded, after picking up a new title sponsor ahead of the 2026 season.

Toyota Gazoo Racing and Haas have seen a major development in their relationship, with TGR set to become Haas' title sponsor for next season. The team will be named: TGR Haas F1 Team.

Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu said: "It’s naturally a privilege to deepen our relationship with TGR through this new title partnership agreement.

Komatsu continued, “Our working relationship to-date has been everything we hoped it would be. It’s been evidenced through our successful TPC running this season but there’s been so much more going on behind the scenes too – including the development and installation of the simulator at our Banbury facility for 2026."

Speaking on the relationship between Haas and Toyota, Komatsu said: "The cultivation of personnel, all working collaboratively between Haas F1 Team and TGR, has benefited us greatly and that’s something that will only increase as our partnership matures. We’re excited to further grow with the likes of our driver program too, and it’s been encouraging to see the depth of talent TGR is backing in that process."

Haas' new livery will be unveiled on the 23 January 2026 online.

Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Bortoleto backs Verstappen in title fight against McLaren

Gabriel Bortoleto believes that Max Verstappen deserves the 2025 title, labelling the Dutchman: "Best driver in the world."

Bortoleto stated: "I think the World Championship is about the best driver in the world and I think this season at least Max has made less mistakes than anyone else. I think he proved that he was the best driver in the world this year, so I think he deserves the title."

The Brazilian rookie sees the outcome of the 2025 drivers' championship difficult to predict. Speaking to GPblog, Bortoleto said: "I think what has been happening the last weekends, no one really expected that could happen, so it's impossible to predict."

Verstappen has closed to championship leader, Norris, by 37 points in the last two race weekends, and now trails the Brit by 12 points heading into the finale.

Bortoleto continued: "My opinion is that it's super close, obviously there's still a gap of 12 points and we know that there is not really much competition against Red Bull and McLaren. When Max is winning, McLaren is just there behind.

"So it's not going to be easy, [there's] still a gap. If Max wins, I think Lando [Norris] needs to finish P3 and then he's the champion. So, definitely it's not going to be easy."

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