Max Verstappen Takes Pole Position in Abu Dhabi, Setting Stage for Thrilling Title Decider
Max Verstappen will start on pole position for the 2025 title decider in Abu Dhabi after beating his two championship rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to the fastest time in qualifying. Verstappen’s impressive performance has set the stage for a thrilling finale, with the reigning champion aiming to claim his fifth consecutive title. According to the official Formula 1 website, Verstappen is 12 points behind Norris in the standings, making the task ahead of him a challenging one.
Verstappen’s best shot at a fifth consecutive title is to win the race and hope events conspire against Norris to drop him to fourth. As reported by ESPN, Piastri is 16 points off Norris in the standings, making his chances of victory slim unless something happens to the cars ahead of him on the grid. In a post-qualifying interview, Piastri stated, “I think it was pretty good. I think the lap I did in Q1 was nice to finally get into a rhythm through the weekend, and honestly I think the last lap in Q3 was pretty good as well.”
Qualifying Results and Analysis
Verstappen took pole by 0.201 seconds from Norris after setting two laps in Q3 that would have been fast enough for pole position. The reigning champion’s performance comes off the back of victories in Las Vegas and Qatar, as noted by Autosport. Verstappen said he needs “a bit of luck” to win the championship on Sunday, adding, “We’ll find out tomorrow, don’t we? Let’s see what we can do.” The full qualifying results can be seen in the table below.
| Driver | Team | Times | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:22.207 | |
| 2 – Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.201 | |
| 3 – Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.230 | |
| 4 – George Russell | Mercedes | +0.438 | |
| 5 – Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.523 | |
| 6 – Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.695 | |
| 7 – Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +0.697 | |
| 8 – Esteban Ocon | Haas | +0.706 | |
| 9 – Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.865 | |
| 10 – Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | — |
George Russell took fourth on the grid for Mercedes after showing pace that threatened to encroach on the title battle right up until Q3. He will start ahead of Charles Leclerc, who qualified in fifth place for Ferrari. Fernando Alonso secured sixth for Aston Martin ahead of the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto in seventh place, as reported by Motorsport.com.
Championship Implications and Driver Reactions
Meanwhile, Norris said he was “disappointed” to not be on pole, stating, “It’s tough. Max did a good job, so congrats to him. We did everything we could.” He added, “I still want to try and win tomorrow. That’s going to be the goal.” Verstappen’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda had to settle for tenth place after having his Q3 time deleted for track limits, but Red Bull also timed his runs so that he could offer a slipstream to Verstappen on the back straight.
Lewis Hamilton was knocked out in Q1 for the third grand prix in a row, leaving him 16th on the grid for the final race of the season. When informed of the result, he replied over the team radio, “Every time mate, I’m so sorry.” Williams driver Alex Albon will line up 17th on the grid behind Hamilton, with Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg in 18th place and the two Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto in 19th and 20th.
For the latest updates and analysis on the 2025 Formula 1 season, visit the official Formula 1 website or follow reputable sources such as ESPN, Autosport, and Motorsport.com.
