In Abu Dhabi, both Sainz and Norris would make it to Q3, starting 7th and 9th respectively. In the race, the order would remain stable in the top 10 for the first few laps. Norris was the first of the drivers to make a scheduled pit stop, on lap 8. On lap 41, Sainz, who was running in P9, came for a second pit stop out of fear that his ageing tyres would allow him to be passed by rivals with fresher tyres. On the penultimate lap, Norris lost 7th place to Sergio Perez, while on the last lap, Sainz managed to overtake Nico Hulkenberg for 10th, gaining a solitary point. This would prove to be vital, as this meant Sainz would overtake Gasly in the driver's championship, as Gasly finished 18th after a collision with Lance Stroll. Lando Norris finished 11th in the driver's championship as a result of Perez's overtake on him. If he had not been passed by Perez, he would have been 10th in the standings. Sainz's sixth place in the championship would be the first time since 2015 that a non-Mercedes, Ferrari, or Red Bull driver would finish higher than 7th in the standings.