Formula One | When final races turned into thrilling title deciders

For the first time since 2016, the Formula One drivers’ title will be decided in the final race, in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen tied on points (369.5). A look at some memorable title deciders in recent times:

Abu Dhabi 2016: Going into the last race, Hamilton was trailing teammate Nico Rosberg by 12 points. The former controlled the race from pole but needed the latter to finish outside the podium to win the title. Towards the end of the race, Hamilton dramatically slowed his pace to hold back Rosberg who was being hotly pursued by Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen. Despite the team ordering him to pick up pace, Hamilton tried his best to trip up Rosberg but the German prevailed and went on to take his only world title.

Brazil 2012: For the second time in three years, Vettel and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso were vying for the honours, the former enjoying a 13-point lead before the final race. Vettel had a poor start from fourth while Alonso moved ahead of his rival starting eighth. Vettel was then hit by Bruno Senna, leaving him last and a lot of damage to his car. The German, however, continued and battled hard to finish sixth while Alonso took the second spot and lost the title by three points.

Abu Dhabi 2010: In what was one of the closest seasons, four drivers had a mathematical chance of winning the title. Alonso led the Red Bull drivers Mark Webber by eight points and Vettel by 15 and McLaren’s Hamilton by 22.

Vettel controlled the race from pole while Alonso and Webber were running fourth and fifth. An early safety car allowed Rosberg and Vitaly Petrov to stop at the end of lap one. Webber stopped early on lap 12, prompting Alonso to cover him three laps later.

However, this meant the two were stuck between Petrov who kept them at bay for the rest of the race. Vettel won the race easily ahead of Hamilton and Button with Alonso finishing seventh. The Spaniard needed to finish fourth to clinch the title.

Brazil 2008: In one of the most thrilling finales in the history of the sport, McLaren Hamilton led Ferrari’s Felipe Massa by seven points. But the latter took pole position with the Briton in fourth place. In challenging conditions that kept swinging between wet and dry, local hero Massa was in complete control while Hamilton battled to stay in the top five which he needed to triumph. Towards the end of the race, Vettel and Timo Glock were ahead of Hamilton in sixth place, but Glock hadn’t stopped for wet tyres and was losing grip.

Massa crossed the line with Ferrari thinking he had won the title, but as the rain increased, on the last corner of the last lap of the race, Hamilton overtook Glock to finish fifth and win the title by one point, causing a huge heartbreak for the local fans.

Brazil 2007: In his debut season, McLaren’s Hamilton led by four points ahead of teammate Alonso and seven ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, all three having a shot at the title.

Starting second, Hamilton lost ground to his title rivals and fell further behind a few laps later due to a gearbox problem that pushed him down to 18th. Massa led from Raikkonen and Alonso but after the final round of pit stops, Raikkonen moved ahead of Massa and won the race. Hamilton needed to finish fifth but ended seventh. Alonso was third as both the McLaren drivers lost the crown by a solitary point.