F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Verstappen takes pole in qualifying for the season finale – as it happened | Formula One 2025
Key events
Giles Richards
Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a vital first step in attempting to clinch the world championship in the decisive season-finale at Yas Marina.
His title rivals – McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri – took second and third in a competitive and tense qualifying session, with the protagonists in three-way title fight duking it out for the top spots on the grid.
Norris still holds the advantage as they enter the final rubber. Leading the championship, he is 12 points in front of Verstappen and 16 clear of Piastri. Norris will claim his debut F1 title and become the 11th British driver to do so if he finishes in front of both his rivals or claims third place or better. Verstappen would need to win and hope Norris finishes outside the podium places. Piastri would need to win and have his teammate finish sixth or lower.
Simon Lazenby’s voice is faltering. And so are my fingers. Giles Richards’ report from Abu Dhabi will be with us soon.
Verstappen’s constant feedback is key, Collins argues. That’s how Red Bull can turn around the improvements from FP3 so quickly.
Bernie Collins and Nico Rosberg focus on the lack of pressure on Verstappen compared with Norris.
Nico Rosberg is praising Lando Norris for that front-row lap. “He did an amazing job.”
So our grid:
1. Max Verstappen
2. Lando Norris
3. Oscar Piastri
4. George Russell
5. Charles Leclerc
6. Fernando Alonso
7. Gabriel Bortoleto
8. Esteban Ocon
9. Isack Hadjar
10. Yuki Tsunoda.
11. Oliver Bearman
12. Carlos Sainz
13. Liam Lawson
14. Kimi Antonelli
15. Lance Stroll
16. Lewis Hamilton
17. Alexander Albon
18. Nico Hülkenberg
19. Pierre Gasly
20. Franco Colapinto
Benson Boone (me neither) presents Verstappen with the pole position trophy.
“We need a bit of luck with what is happening behind us,” says Verstappen. That’s the truth.
Piastri hedges on whether he can get past the men in front of him. Piastri knows the odds are against him.
Norris’s turn. “It’s tough. Max did a good job … Disappointed not to be on pole.” He ducks the question of whether he wants a win or a podium to start with, then says he wants the win too
Verstappen speaks. “In Q2 I stayed in scrub tyres, in Q3 we could push … We maximised everything we could … We did all we could.”
Zak Brown looks pretty happy. Norris looks a bit distant. He knows he’s close, but has nothing to celebrate yet. He is the man with everything to lose.
Kelly Brook congratulating Verstappen. I should mention that George Russell is fourth.
Kevin Cassingham writes: “It feels like Verstappen on pole is ideal for Norris. Let him shoot up the road and Norris can just concentrate on the podium.” Certainly better for him than Piastri on the front row.
The Red Bull garage is jumping. Piastri sounds quite low-key, as you’d expect.
Verstappen takes pole!
Verstappen 1:22.207, Norris +0.201, Piastri +0.230
Piastri is on his last lap. Norris going well too, Verstappen just fastest.
Out laps for the McLarens on new tyres. This is it.
Brundle reckons the tow could have already given Verstappen pole. He’s 0.327 faster than Piastri, 0.456 better than Norris.
Red Bull trying to use Tsunoda to give Verstappen a tow, it seems. A rare contribution from the Japanese.
Verstappen comes in at 1min 22.295. Norris 1min 22.751 but on old tyres. Piastri 1min 22.622, again on old tyres.
Q3 is go. Verstappen, with two sets of new tyres to play with, is fastest in the first sector for the whole of qualifying.
Lewis Hamilton all but lost for words. So sad to see.
Red Bull’s Laurent Mekies pleased to see Hadjar, next year’s number two driver, rejoicing in his seventh place. “There will be a few cars in the mix for pole,” he thinks, given three-tenths covers the top 10.
Sven Verelst writes: “Why is Spa so slow? Because there is a bus stop on the road.”
Only one picture of that chicane, here’s Rubens Barrichello in 2002.
Antonelli out, 13 places worse off than Russell. The Italian is baffled by what went wrong.
Piastri down in eighth. Norris stays third and abandons his lap, to preserve his tyres.
Norris on his final lap. Should be fine. Sainz, Lawson, Antonelli, Stroll and Bearman in the drop zone.
Two and a half minutes to go. If the cutoff time is right then Russell, Verstappen and Norris are through.
Predicted knockout time is 1min 23.0000000000.
Hadjar, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Bearman and Lawson in the drop zone.
Leclerc only manages 10th. Ferrari really want 2025 to end, roll on the new regulations.
Piastri comes through in fourth but Norris is back on, slipping into second till Verstappen knocks him down.
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