Max Verstappen Takes Vital Pole Position in Abu Dhabi

Max Verstappen seized a crucial pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Lando Norris by two tenths to ignite the Championship battle ahead of the final race of the 2025 season. Oscar Piastri will start third after a tight qualifying session at Yas Marina that delivered shocks, drama and a late surge from Red Bull.

The Dutchman arrived in Abu Dhabi 12 points behind Norris with Piastri a further four back. Victory on Sunday is essential for Verstappen to stay in contention and he delivered under pressure, claiming his eighth pole of the campaign with a 1m 22.207s.

Norris holds firm but Verstappen strikes first

Norris had looked the strongest of the title contenders through practice with two fastest times on Friday and a narrow defeat in FP3. The McLaren driver only needs a podium on Sunday to secure his first world title but starting second leaves him with work to do. He missed pole by 0.201s as Verstappen hooked up his laps at the perfect moment.

Piastri pushed hard and recovered from a difficult start to the weekend to take third. The Australian’s slim title chances remain alive but he must win the race and hope his team mate finishes sixth or lower to overturn his 16-point deficit.

Russell fades after topping FP3

After leading the final practice session by four thousandths of a second, George Russell looked capable of spoiling the title fight. But a messy Q3 lap left him fourth, fighting the Mercedes through the high-speed final corners. Mercedes had hoped to benefit from a potential tow from Verstappen yet the timing never aligned.

Q1 shock as Hamilton suffers another early exit

There was major drama in Q1 when Lewis Hamilton dropped out in 16th. The Ferrari driver made a mistake through Turn 12 during his final run and missed the cut by just 0.008s as the field squeezed into an incredibly tight window. It marked his third consecutive Q1 elimination, continuing a difficult end to his season after crashing in FP3.

Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto also fell at the first hurdle.

Q2 delivers more surprises as midfield flourishes

Q2 proved just as frantic with Ollie Bearman the most painful casualty. The Haas rookie, who had been in the mix throughout practice, missed Q3 by 0.007s. Carlos Sainz, Liam Lawson, Kimi Antonelli and Lance Stroll joined him in the drop zone.

At the sharp end Verstappen completed two early runs on used tyres before sitting out the final minutes as Red Bull gambled he was safe. It paid off. Russell again hit the top while both McLaren drivers progressed on worn softs to save rubber for the final segment.

Red Bull team play helps Verstappen in Q3

Q3 began with Red Bull deploying Yuki Tsunoda to tow Verstappen. The Dutchman set the early benchmark on fresh tyres while both McLaren drivers opened with used sets. Piastri and Norris matched each other closely but neither could threaten Verstappen’s opening time.

On the final runs Verstappen improved again while the McLarens found only small gains. Piastri briefly moved into second before Norris edged ahead by 0.029s. But Verstappen’s final lap was untouchable and he secured pole by a clear margin.

A familiar pattern at Yas Marina

History favours the polesitter at Yas Marina with the race winner starting from the front for the past 10 seasons. The front row has also finished in order in seven of the last 10 editions. That statistic will encourage Verstappen as he seeks to overturn the Championship deficit and place maximum pressure on Norris.

For McLaren the challenge is clear. Norris must stay out of trouble and bring home a podium to seal the title. Piastri needs a perfect Sunday and a slice of fortune. Verstappen, meanwhile, has already landed his first blow of the weekend.

The final race of 2025 is set for a dramatic conclusion under the Abu Dhabi lights.