Max Verstappen looked like a ‘ballet’ dancer at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in ominous sign for Lando Norris

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The 2025 Formula 1 world champion will be crowned this weekend, and Anthony Davidson thinks Max Verstappen has arrived in Abu Dhabi in his finest form.

The reigning world champion could add a fifth Formula 1 title to his collection of accolades this weekend as he seeks to turn around Lando Norris’ 12-point advantage at the top of the F1 standings.

The previous 23 race weekends all come down to the 58 laps of racing that will take place at the Yas Marina circuit on Sunday.

Someone has to walk away as the world champion, and until the chequered flag falls, any predictions on who the title will go home with are a stab in the dark.

Max Verstappen is trying to get an advantage over his rivals through the use of mind games, but Anthony Davidson has already seen signs of the Dutchman being superior to his championship rivals during FP1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

• READ MORE: Gabriel Bortoleto identifies what makes Max Verstappen an ‘unbelievable’ F1 champion

Anthony Davidson praises Max Verstappen’s driving style ahead of F1 title showdown in Abu Dhabi

As one of the commentators for Sky Sports F1 during the young-driver-filled first practice session of the weekend, Davidson was full of plaudits as the Red Bull star was highlighted on the broadcast in the middle of one of his flying laps.

The former F1 driver praised Verstappen’s driving style, saying (05/12 09:56), “You’ve got the grip, you’ve got the grip, then you haven’t got the grip. It’s a digital process, and that’s something that Max can feel.

“He can teeter right on the edge of that, and he can just drive around it. He’s used to the car feeling like that. He’s smooth, and I feel like that’s why he’s better off on circuits like this.

“I mean, nobody’s perfect, and I feel like street circuits don’t lend themselves to his style.

“His natural style is very smooth, and sometimes, not all the time, on street tracks, but sometimes you have to take the car by the scruff of the neck and go over the top with your controls to make the car do things.

“Max doesn’t really, he’s not that kind of driver. He’s got that inherent feel of the car being a very delicate feel for where that car starts to snap. And that’s what the others can’t do.

Davidson also compared the ultra-precise driving style to that of a ballet dancer, adding, “He’s flowing it from one corner to the next.

“It’s like watching a slalom skier or a ballet dancer. He’s doing that from within the car, and it’s hard to see from the untrained eyes.”

• READ MORE: Max Verstappen responds to Alex Albon’s comments about his ‘Call of Duty’ driving style

Lando Norris took first blood against Max Verstappen during the race weekend in Abu Dhabi

After the first hour of practice in Abu Dhabi, Norris was the man to set the fastest lap on the timing sheets.

Of course, FP1 is the least representative session out of the five that are typically held on a race weekend, but it will certainly add some confidence to the British driver ahead of the meaningful sessions.

However, Norris was just eight thousandths of a second faster than the Dutchman, indicating that there really isn’t much to choose from either driver so far.

Oscar Piastri watched the first session of the weekend from the pit wall due to McLaren reserve driver Pato O’Ward fulfilling the final mandatory test for the Australian’s entry, as per the F1 regulations.

If the margins in qualifying prove to be as close as they were in FP1, Sunday’s season finale will be an absolute blockbuster.