Max Verstappen took pole for the season-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Lando Norris second and Oscar Piastri third. All three remain in the fight for the championship, but Norris holds the advantage in the standings.
Norris leads Verstappen by 12 points and Piastri by 16. A finish of third or better guarantees the Briton his first world title, regardless of who wins. Verstappen must win and hope Norris finishes off the podium, while Piastri needs victory and Norris to finish sixth or lower.
Verstappen set a rapid 1:22.207 in qualifying, continuing his late-season surge. Norris and Piastri stayed close, meaning the opening laps could be decisive. McLaren say they will use team orders if required to secure the championship.
Further down the grid, Lewis Hamilton qualified only 16th after a practice crash capped off a difficult year with no podiums.
The stage is set for a dramatic finale under the Yas Marina lights — Verstappen starts first, but the title remains Norris’s to lose.
