George Russell advises Max Verstappen to avoid 'hooligan' mistake in title fight against Lando Norris at F1 Abu Dhabi GP

George Russell had advised pole-sitter Max Verstappen to avoid driving like a "hooligan" at the start of the Abu Dhabi GP to have a shot at winning the 2025 F1 drivers' championship. Lando Norris, who will start the race on the front row alongside Verstappen, has a 12-point lead in the championship.

All the McLaren driver has to do is finish on the podium, and the 2025 drivers' championship trophy will be his to take home. If Max Verstappen wants to win the championship, he would not only need to win the race but also ensure Norris finishes in P4 or lower. The Red Bull driver would need some luck for that to happen, as he admitted after qualifying.

George Russell, who qualified in P4, is hoping that Verstappen sustains the lead off the start. The Mercedes driver pointed out that the best strategy for the four-time F1 champion would be to keep Lando Norris close behind him in P2, instead of fleeing off with the lead.

"I hope Max is still leading after Lap 1," Russell told Sky Spots. "He’s not just going to drive into the distance. You don’t need to drive like a hooligan, not do anything crazy, just to manage the pace. You see many drivers do this - Monaco, Singapore, this is normal. Hopefully, for us, he’s still leading after lap 1, and then I’m sure there will be some opportunities.”

If Max Verstappen can keep Lando Norris close behind him but not in overtaking distance, the championship leader would come under pressure from the chasers behind him, i.e., Oscar Piastri in P3, George Russell in P4, and Charles Leclerc in P5. Russell suggested this because it would serve a dual role.

It would help him potentially secure a podium by hunting down the McLarens and help Mercedes cement its second place in the constructors' championship. As that happens, the chances of Norris tumbling off the podium places increase, pushing Verstappen closer to his fifth consecutive F1 title.

Max Verstappen counting on "Abu Dhabi magic" to help him win 5th F1 championshpi

Max Verstappen gives an interview after the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying - Source: Getty

Max Verstappen clinched pole position in qualifying by going over two-tenths faster than the McLaren drivers, who had a gap of only three-hundredths between them. Heading into the Abu Dhabi GP on Sunday, the reigning F1 champion emphasized that he had "nothing to lose" and was ready to give it all and adapt to any situation that presented itself in the 58-lap race.

However, Verstappen did highlight the luck factor that he needed to sway in his favor. In a post-qualifying interview with F1TV, the Red Bull driver said:

"Tomorrow, we want to go out there and win. We know, of course, even if we win, we need a bit more luck. But let's hope for a bit of Abu Dhabi magic."

Oscar Piastri, who qualified in P3, needs more luck than Max Verstappen to have a shot at winning his first F1 championship on Sunday. Even he highlighted after qualifying that he has "nothing to lose." Both these drivers carrying this same attitude into the race puts only more pressure on Lando Norris to defend his lead.