Verstappen seizes Abu Dhabi win as title showdown with Norris goes to the wire

Max Verstappen delivered a commanding qualifying display to secure pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, outpacing McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the final session of the season, Sport360NG reports.

The Red Bull driver, chasing a fifth consecutive world title, produced two laps strong enough for pole, ultimately finishing 0.201 seconds clear of Norris. The Briton edged team-mate Piastri by just 0.029 seconds to join Verstappen on the front row.

Norris leads the championship by 12 points heading into Sunday’s decider, with Piastri four points further back. The equation is straightforward: Norris will clinch his first world title with a podium finish, no matter Verstappen’s result. But if the Dutchman wins and Norris finishes fourth or lower, Verstappen will overturn the deficit and retain his crown.

George Russell starts fourth for Mercedes, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

It was another difficult day for Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion crashed during final practice and was eliminated in Q1, leaving him 16th on the grid for his final race with Ferrari. The team offered no immediate explanation for the practice crash, and Hamilton said he had “no answer” for his lack of pace.

Verstappen described his qualifying effort as “incredibly happy”, praising Red Bull’s execution after benefitting from a slipstream provided by Yuki Tsunoda on his first run. Norris, meanwhile, said he gave “everything” but admitted McLaren were “not fast enough today”.

Piastri echoed that sentiment, saying his last lap “was pretty good” but still short of the pace required for pole.

Alonso’s sixth place ensured he completed the season with a clean sweep over team-mate Lance Stroll in grand prix qualifying, finishing 24–0 across the year.

Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto impressed with seventh, followed by Haas’ Esteban Ocon, Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and Tsunoda in the top 10. British teenager Oliver Bearman narrowly missed Q3 and will start 11th for Haas.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — Top 10 Qualifiers

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Lando Norris (McLaren)

3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

6. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

7. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

8. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

9. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

10. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)