Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominated qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing pole position ahead of McLaren’s championship rivals, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Verstappen’s performance was imposing, beating Norris by 0.201 seconds, despite Norris holding a crucial 12-point lead heading into the final race.
The three-way fight will be decided tomorrow:
Norris wins the title if he finishes on the podium (P1-P3).
Verstappen wins his fifth consecutive title if he wins the race and Norris finishes fourth or lower.
George Russell (Mercedes) qualified fourth, while a miserable day for Lewis Hamilton saw his Ferrari crash in final practice, leading to a Q1 knockout and a P16 start.
Verstappen called his performance “incredibly happy,” feeling pressure similar to his 2021 title win.
Norris admitted McLaren “just weren’t fast enough today” but remains focused on winning tomorrow.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix starts Sunday at 4:00 PM EAT.
Top 3 Grid Positions
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
