Lando Norris walked into qualifying for Abu Dhabi’s title decider looking sharp, confident and ready to plant a psychological flag on the front row.
Instead, he climbed out of his McLaren car looking like a man who knew he’d just been outgunned –again – by Max Verstappen at the moment it mattered most.
Verstappen snatched pole with a blistering quick surgically precise flyer, two-tenths clear of Norris, who could only watch from second as the Red Bull driver strutted through parc fermé with all the calm of a man who’s been here before.
“It's tough. Max did a good job, so congrats to him,” Norris admitted, already trying to mask the frustration beneath a diplomatic tone.
“We did everything we could. I think my lap was pretty good, I was pretty happy. Of course, disappointed to not be on pole for the final weekend but we were just not fast enough today, so we will try and do it tomorrow.”
For a driver leading the championship by 12 points and needing only a podium to seal his first title, P2 is hardly a disaster. But this isn’t a man aiming for safe points – the Briton is desperate to win the finale on his own terms. And today, Verstappen simply had the sharper blade.
Sunday’s Shot at Glory
Norris will start Sunday’s showdown alongside Verstappen on the front row, with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri just behind in third – a strong formation flying for a McLaren squad taking the fight to a lone but ferocious Red Bull.
How Norris plans to handle Verstappen at lights out remains deliberately undecided.
©McLaren
“The time will come I think of that but, for now, disappointed to not be on pole. I still want to win tomorrow so that's going to be the goal.”
Behind him, Piastri wasn’t exactly beaming either after taking P3.
“The lap I did in Q1 was nice, to finally get into a rhythm for the weekend, and the last lap in Q3 was pretty good as well - there wasn't a lot left in that,” said the Aussie.
“Just not quite quick enough but it sets up a pretty exciting day tomorrow.”
Exciting is one word for it. With the title on the line and Verstappen breathing down his neck, Norris knows he’ll need the race of his life to strike gold in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Qualifying results
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