Max Verstappen takes Abu Dhabi pole with a blistering Q3 lap, beating Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to set up a tense title decider under the Yas Marina lights. The Red Bull driver delivered when it mattered most, breaking McLaren’s Friday dominance and putting himself in the best possible position to attack Norris’ 12 point championship lead on Sunday.
Verstappen lands the first big blow
McLaren had looked like the team to beat all weekend, but when Q3 arrived Verstappen found another gear. After topping the first runs in the final segment, he improved again on his last lap to post a stunning 1:22.207.
Norris and Piastri both threw everything at their final attempts, but could not quite match the Dutchman’s pace. Norris slotted into P2, 0.201s behind, with Piastri just 0.029s further back in P3 as all three title contenders locked out the top three on the grid.
Behind them, George Russell put his Mercedes fourth after a strong day, with Charles Leclerc in fifth and Fernando Alonso in sixth for Aston Martin. Gabriel Bortoleto continued his impressive form for Kick Sauber in P7, followed by Esteban Ocon’s Haas and the Racing Bulls pair Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda, who completed the top 10 in his final qualifying as a Red Bull race driver.
Q1. Piastri flies as Hamilton exits early again
The first part of qualifying set the tone for just how fine the margins would be. Russell opened with a 1:23.247, but Ollie Bearman was only 0.007s slower and Piastri was another 0.001s back as the times immediately closed up.
Track limits caught out several drivers, with Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll and Franco Colapinto all losing laps. At the sharp end, the three title contenders played it safe on fresh softs for their final runs, and Piastri produced the standout lap of Q1 with a 1:22.605 to go fastest, two tenths clear of Verstappen and comfortably ahead of Norris.
At the other end of the timing screens there was more pain for Lewis Hamilton. A rebuilt Ferrari after his FP3 crash was not enough to turn his weekend around. Late improvements from others pushed him down to P16, resulting in yet another Q1 exit. Alex Albon joined him on the sidelines in P17, with Nico Hulkenberg P18 and the two Alpines of Gasly and Colapinto 19th and 20th.
Knocked out in Q1: Hamilton, Albon, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Colapinto
Q2. Russell on top, Bearman and Antonelli miss out
Q2 began with Verstappen heading out alone on used softs to bank an early lap before traffic built up. Once everyone had set a time, Russell again emerged on top with a 1:22.730, just 0.022s ahead of Verstappen and 0.074s clear of Norris in third.
Piastri and Alonso rounded out an early top five, but the drop zone was packed with big stories. Hadjar, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Bearman and Lawson all sat under pressure as the final runs approached.
Red Bull were confident enough to keep Verstappen in the garage, saving tyres for Q3. Others could not afford that luxury. Bortoleto delivered a brilliant lap to go fourth, while Hadjar hauled his Racing Bulls into the top 10 and Ocon snuck into ninth.
That late flurry knocked Lawson out, and there was frustration at Haas as Bearman missed Q3 by just 0.007s. Carlos Sainz could not repeat his Qatar heroics and was eliminated in P12. Antonelli struggled with rear grip and dropped to P14, ahead of Stroll in 15th.
Knocked out in Q2: Bearman, Sainz, Lawson, Antonelli, Stroll
Q3. Verstappen delivers a statement lap
With the final pole of the season on the line and all three championship rivals in the fight, Q3 always had the feel of a heavyweight showdown.
Tsunoda rolled out first to give Verstappen a tow, and the World Champion made full use of it. His first effort, a 1:22.295, put him comfortably clear of the field. Piastri’s opening run on used tyres left him more than three tenths behind, with Norris a further tenth back.
Going into the final runs, Russell asked to be released behind Verstappen to try and pick up a slipstream of his own, while McLaren weighed up whether to chase a tow or prioritise clean air. In the end, Verstappen did not even need the aid of a second slipstream: he improved to a 1:22.207 on his last lap.
Piastri briefly closed the gap but could not get within two tenths. Norris then crossed the line to split them, grabbing P2 but still 0.201s off Verstappen’s benchmark. Russell recovered from an earlier scruffy lap to secure P4, with Leclerc a solid fifth and Alonso a strong sixth after his eye catching practice pace.
Bortoleto, Ocon, Hadjar and Tsunoda completed a mixed up but intriguing top 10 that could play a big role on Sunday if strategy or safety cars come into play.
Title picture: advantage Verstappen on Saturday, advantage Norris on Sunday
On pure grid position, Verstappen could not have asked for more. He starts from pole at a circuit where track position is king and where he already has a formidable winning record. If he wins, he needs Norris to finish fourth or lower to steal the title.
Norris, though, still holds the points advantage and knows that any podium will guarantee him the World Championship, regardless of what Verstappen or Piastri do. Starting second gives him some breathing room, even if the McLaren looked a fraction off Red Bull over one lap in qualifying trim.
Piastri lines up third with a clear, if difficult, equation. He must win the race and hope Norris finishes sixth or lower. If he can beat Verstappen off the line or undercut him through strategy, he could both take the win and remove Verstappen from the championship picture entirely.
What is certain is that Abu Dhabi is set for one of the most finely balanced finales in years. Verstappen takes Abu Dhabi pole, but with Norris and Piastri right behind and a hungry pack of midfield cars waiting to pounce, Sunday’s title decider is wide open.
