Max Verstappen delivered when it mattered most, claiming a commanding pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and placing himself directly ahead of title rival Lando Norris for Sunday’s championship showdown.
The Red Bull driver’s opening Q3 lap – a 1m22.295s – was already strong enough for pole, and his final run only tightened his grip with a further 0.09s improvement.
Norris, fighting to defend his 12-point lead in the standings, endured a tense progression through qualifying as nerves crept in. He ultimately secured second on the grid with a 1m22.408s, narrowly outpacing McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri by just 0.03s.
All three title contenders will launch from the front two rows, setting up a blockbuster decider.
McLaren Under Pressure
McLaren gambled at the start of Q3, using lightly scrubbed softs after aborting late laps in Q2. Piastri initially looked the stronger of the pair, clocking a time just over a tenth quicker than Norris.
But once both switched to fresh tyres, the order flipped: Norris found enough time to regain the upper hand, while Piastri settled for third.
George Russell secured fourth with two lively laps that included snaps of oversteer at Turns 14 and 16. Charles Leclerc followed in fifth, admitting over team radio that it was “a surprise” he even reached Q3 after nearly abandoning his Q2 lap “like five times” due to the Ferrari’s unstable balance.
Fernando Alonso led the Aston Martin charge in sixth, just ahead of rising star Gabriel Bortoleto, who earned his fifth Q3 appearance of the season.
Midfield Shuffles and Missed Opportunities
Esteban Ocon finally found stability under braking and qualified eighth, while Isack Hadjar sealed ninth after pipping Liam Lawson in Q2. Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top 10 after serving as Verstappen’s tow provider.
Oliver Bearman, one of the weekend’s standout performers, agonizingly missed Q3 by 0.007s but still claimed an impressive 11th. Carlos Sainz followed just 0.001s behind after failing to stitch together his promising first sectors.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli struggled in the final sector and slipped to 13th. Lance Stroll joined him in Q2 elimination, starting 15th.
The biggest shock came from Lewis Hamilton, who dropped out in Q1 for the third race running. He was bumped out by Bortoleto’s late improvement, leaving him among the bottom five.
At the back, Alex Albon’s early promise evaporated amid rapid track evolution, while Nico Hülkenberg and the Alpines failed to capitalise on Sauber and Alpine’s earlier practice pace, rounding out the order behind Colapinto and Gasly.
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