How to watch: Sunday’s race begins at 7:55 a.m. Eastern time and might be seen on ESPN2 within the United States, and may also be streamed stay on the ESPN app and on SlingTV.

In Canada, viewers can watch the race on TSN4 and RDS (French language). The pre-race protection in each the U.S. and Canada is scheduled to begin at 6:30 a.m., with the checkered flag anticipated to drop nearer to 10 a.m. (The race’s finish time is an estimate and displays the conclusion of the published window.)

Just a little concerning the race: 55 laps on the 5.281-kilometer (3.281 miles) Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island.

Who to watch: For solely the second time in Formula 1 historical past, two drivers — Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Max Verstappen of Red Bull — go into the season finale tied for the championship.

“It is a dream scenario,” Daniel Ricciardo of McLaren instructed Ian Parkes, writing in The Times.

Hamilton, 36, is chasing a record-breaking eighth title, whereas Verstappen, 24, seeks his first. There is tension between them on the observe, they usually have had quite a few incidents, together with crashes within the British and Italian Grands Prix.

Parkes additionally wrote about Kimi Raikkonen, a 42-year-old driver who appears prepared to stroll away from the observe.

Over the previous twenty years, Raikkonen of Finland has devoted himself to Formula 1. Even throughout a two-year hiatus from the collection in 2010-11 after leaving Ferrari, he by no means left motorsports.

But since 2001, Formula 1 has dominated his profession. After what will probably be his 349th profession begin within the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, Raikkonen, now driving for Alfa Romeo, bows out. And as Parkes says, this time perhaps for good.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is ending a singular Formula 1 season, as Luke Smith wrote. The coronavirus pandemic pressured the cancellation of many longtime races — in China, Canada, Singapore, Japan and Australia — though races have been added in Portugal, Turkey and Qatar.

It made for the longest season within the collection’ historical past.

Revenue jumped, rising 12 p.c within the third quarter, in contrast with the identical interval final 12 months, however the longer season, added workload and fixed journey, has taken a toll on groups.