Max Verstappen will start from pole in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix title decider, with championship leader Lando Norris alongside him and Oscar Piastri third. The three are still in contention, but Norris remains in control: he becomes world champion if he finishes ahead of both rivals or takes third place or better.
Verstappen, who has surged late in the season with five wins in eight races, said he will attack aggressively, claiming he has “nothing to lose.” Norris, 12 points ahead of Verstappen and 16 clear of Piastri, insists he feels calm and ready for the challenge, while McLaren are prepared to use team orders to protect his title chances.
Qualifying was tight, with Verstappen clocking 1:22.207 to finish two tenths ahead of Norris. The start is expected to be decisive. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton endured another setback, qualifying only 16th after an earlier practice crash, rounding off a difficult season without a podium.
The stage is set for a dramatic finale under the lights — a pole for Verstappen, but the title still in Norris’s hands.
