On Sunday, we will learn whether Lando Norris, Max Verstappen or Oscar Piastri leaves Abu Dhabi as the 2025 Drivers' Champion. On Thursday, it was all about the words exchanged.
The three title protagonists -- split by just 16 points at the end of a dramatic campaign -- faced the media in a deliberately charged setup, with F1 setting the stage for the finale by placing them alongside one another in their own news conference.
Here, ESPN brings you the standout moments from their media-day showdown, and what we learned.
Verstappen relaxed - 'I have four of these at home'
For Verstappen, the relaxed demeanour was evident -- and he insists he comes into the weekend with "nothing to lose."
"I'm just enjoying being here," he said. "But for me, it's not even about being here. I'm actually enjoying the second half of the season working with the team, and then frustrated with the performances to just enjoying, smiling, having these wins again.
"It's fantastic. So I just take it. For me, everything here is just a bonus and sitting here fighting for the title.
"So that's also what makes it very straightforward for me. We will just try to have a good weekend, but even then, it's not really in my control."
The four-time champion playfully added: "I'm not too bothered in terms of I'll do my best I can and if it happens, great. If it doesn't, I mean, the trophy looks the same. I have four of those at home so it's nice to add a fifth.
"I know my signature so it's the same. Of course you always try to win it but at the same time I've already achieved everything that I wanted to achieve in F1 and everything is just a bonus and I just keep doing it because I love it and I enjoy it and that's also how I go into this weekend. Have a good time out there.
"I don't think we are the quickest but you never know. A lot of things can happen like it did also in Qatar so we'll just see.
New territory for Norris and Piastri
Norris insisted he felt "similar" to Verstappen despite his 12-point lead and wasn't thinking of the championship -- but accepted he was in a much different position to his counterparts.
"I've obviously not been in this situation before," the Briton said. "But at the minute, I feel good. I really don't think of it at all until you guys ask it all the time. So it's trying to avoid you guys [the media] as much as possible.
"I come into the weekend not thinking of it for the last three days. Just playing some golf and being with my mates and having a good time. And I look forward to doing that on Monday, whether I'm hungover or not."
He continued: "I guess in terms of position of course I have the most to lose because I'm the one at the top.
"I'll do my best to stay there until the end of the year and if it doesn't go my way I'll try again next year. It'll hurt probably for a little while but then that's life. I'll crack on and try and do better next season."
Piastri, meanwhile, aiming to become the first driver to win F1, F2 and F3 titles, said he was heading in without pressure and feeling confident.
"Yeah, I'm relaxed," he stated. "I've been on the opposite side of the championship battle in the junior categories.
"And I know what that felt and it was pretty tough. So coming into it from the least to lose out of us three is quite different for me. And I think off the back of Qatar I've got a lot of confidence that I can perform well.
"Obviously I need a fair few things to happen this weekend to come out champion. But I'll just make sure I'm in the right place and the right time and see what happens."
McLaren team orders 'haven't been discussed'
Team orders from McLaren have been a theme this year -- and there are some scenarios where they could come into effect again this weekend despite the team insisting its drivers are free to fight.
If Norris is in fourth, Piastri third and Verstappen is winning the race, for example, the Red Bull driver would win the title. But would the Australian let his teammate through?
"It's not been discussed," Norris said. "Honestly, I mean, I would love it. But I don't think I would ask it because, I don't know.
"It's up to Oscar if he would allow it, you know. I don't think it's necessarily down to me.
"Would I be willing to or not? Personally, I think I would just because I feel like I'm always like that and that's just how I am. But it's not really up to me and I'm not going to ask it. I don't want to ask it because I don't think it's necessarily a fair question.
"And at the same time, if that's how it ends and Max wins, then, well, that's it. Congrats to him and I look forward to next year. It doesn't change anything, it doesn't change my life."
Piastri concurred.
"It's not something we've discussed," he said. "So, yeah, I don't really have an answer until I know what's expected of me."
Will drivers' parents be in attendance?
Family matters, particularly when there's a title on the line, and the trio were also asked about who will be in attendance in Abu Dhabi.
Norris: "Every year I invite some of my friends because they're just as important as the rest in terms of a lot of my friends support me every weekend, support me every week, cheer for me. I always lean on my friends for advice and help in different moments. So, yeah, win or lose, it's always nice to share it with them.
"But I do that every year, so it's nothing special from that point of view. And my parents come to many races, and they're here again because it's the final one, not because of it being a good one or a bad one or whatever it may be. They come to the final race of the season every time.
"So a little mix, but no, I want them to be there because it's the moment, again, win or lose, it's the moment where I just want to share every bit that I can with my friends, with my family, because it's also fun for them.
Verstappen: "No, parents are not here. My dad is rallying in Africa.
"And my mom, yeah, I guess it was not planned. I mean, I also didn't really plan to be in the title fight until the end. So, yeah, here we are.
"My mom is at home happy with the dogs. You can see a lot on TV anyway.
"They know that when I sit in the car I'll give everything I have. I just speak to them about other stuff. So they don't need to motivate me.
"They always support me, you know. My mom always lights a candle before every race weekend.
"But, yeah, I guess they trust their son."
Piastri: "Yeah, my family are here. Kind of similar to Lando in some ways, the last race.
"I've done a lot of racing without any of my family and friends in my career. So it is always nice to have them there. But it doesn't change the world, let's say. It is nice, obviously, but I know some people actually prefer it when their parents aren't there or they don't have people around.
"But for me, it is a nice thing."
Norris and Piastri admire each other
There were plenty of kind words to one another from Norris and Piastri, meanwhile.
"I think what I like about him is just his general attitude of how he approaches everything," Norris said. "Always pretty calm, pretty relaxed in every situation, stays cool.
"That's something that I admire and I think it's something that at times I wish I was a little bit more like. But everyone does their own thing. You always try and find what works best for you.
"But I think also the most important thing is just how you get on personally. I've always got on well with my teammates. It's easy not to. It takes one decision to make everything not be the way it is. I think that's something we've done well.
"I think how we've worked together, how we just treat each other, whether it's on the track, off the track, whatever it may be, it's just a good way of approaching everything, I think. Not everyone would agree with it, which is completely acceptable and understandable.
"But I think we both have a similar approach in terms of just wanting to go on track, prove who's better, try and drive the quickest, but also come off and enjoy our life when it's just us as people, us as personalities. And I think that's something that I have a lot of respect for and I enjoy, I think. And I'll look back on it in 10 years' time and say the same thing."
Piastri echoed Norris' words.
"I think it's nice that we're able to leave kind of what happens on track on the track and be friendly off the track," he added. "I think it's, like Lando said, it's very easy for it to not be that way. And that definitely takes cooperation from both parties.
"So yeah, I think for me that's probably what I -- I mean, admire sounds a bit strong in teammates -- but I think that is a very good strength of Lando's."
What would it feel like to win a first title?
Another question just for the McLaren drivers was on what it would feel like lifting the trophy at the FIA gala later this month. It evoked emotive answers.
Norris: "This has been my whole life.
"It's everything I've worked towards my whole life. So the world to me would mean the world to everyone that supported me and pushed me for the last 16 years of my life in terms of trying to get to this point. It would mean everything.
"My life until now has been a success and I've accomplished that dream I had when I was a kid. Other than that I don't know what else to say. It's a reward for a lot of hard work that goes into things and I think it goes to whoever deserves it the most."
Piastri: "It would be pretty cool to be honest but I think it often takes a little while for those kind of things to set in and at the same time next season starts in a few weeks.
"So I think regardless of whatever you've achieved in the past, Max is probably the most qualified to say this, but I think you move on pretty quick and try and win the next race that's in front of you. So obviously it would be a very cool achievement but I'm not getting my hopes up too high.
"We'll see what happens and if I can achieve it I'll be pretty happy to go."
The mood between the title contenders was remarkably friendly on Thursday afternoon, but between the smiles and niceties all three attempted to shift the pressure away from themselves. Although not as overt as it has been as at previous F1 title deciders, the tactic of making it sound like your rival has everything to lose is as old as sport itself.
"There's always a little bit of games," two-time champion Fernando Alonso said during his own media briefing on Thursday. "When you see your opponents, on track in FP1, FP2, or in media sessions today, you try to put the pressure on the other side."
Verstappen the most relaxed? Analysis from Abu Dhabi
ESPN's Laurence Edmondson: All three contenders trotted out the line that they have "nothing to lose", but Verstappen was the only one who said it with conviction. Reminding everyone that he is a four-time champion was a failsafe tactic in heaping the pressure on other two, and when he said his participation in this year's decider was "just a bonus," he clearly meant it.
If there was any nervous energy in the room, it was with Norris. Between answers he would routinely look down at his hands, clearly absorbing what the other two were saying but trying not to give anything away.
Asked initially about the pressure of being in a title decider, he followed the lead of his rivals in attempting to play down the occasion.
"I have nothing to lose because it's just a race for a championship," he said somewhat contradictorily. "But in 30 years' time, I probably won't think of it that much either way. I'm not too bothered in terms of I'll do my best I can and if it happens, great."
But Norris has never been one to hide his true feelings, and less than five minutes later he couldn't help but express what the title would really mean to him.
Perhaps the most awkward moment came when the McLaren drivers were asked how they would deal with team orders. Although the various permutations ahead of Sunday's race are incredibly varied, one clear situation would surely necessitate team orders from McLaren.
As the first words of the question were being asked to Norris, Piastri knew what was coming and a smile crept across his face.
After a fairly standard opening to his answer, Norris opted to turn the situation to his advantage by reframing the question in a manner that would add pressure on his teammate to follow his lead and answer in the affirmative.
Piastri, however, stuck to the script.
All easy things to say in the calm of a 30-minute press conference on a Thursday afternoon, but the true answers will emerge when the lights go out on Sunday evening.