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Max Verstappen trumps McLaren to take Abu Dhabi GP pole position
Formula 1 F1 2025 F1 season F1 Abu Dhabi Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing Reports
Max Verstappen beat Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to pole in Abu Dhabi, setting up a tight three-way showdown in the fight for the championship.
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Q1
The final qualifying session of the season got underway with mixed tyre choices, as Ferrari and Pierre Gasly started on the medium compound while most of the field ran the softs. Franco Colapinto was the first to lose a lap for track limits, and Gasly soon followed with the same issue. Ferrari were forced to switch to soft tyres after their early times proved too slow.
Despite crashing in FP3, Lewis Hamilton made it onto the track thanks to quick work from his mechanics, but his pace was not strong enough to escape danger. As the track improved rapidly in the closing minutes, Oscar Piastri jumped to the top with a strong lap, followed closely by Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. However, Hamilton could not improve and was pushed into the drop zone by Gabriel Bortoleto, marking his third consecutive Q1 exit.
Eliminated in Q1 were Lewis Hamilton, Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.
Q2
Max Verstappen was first out at the start of Q2, still fighting with the balance of his Red Bull, but he set the opening benchmark on used soft tyres. George Russell soon moved ahead on a new set, while the McLaren pair slotted in close behind. The three title contenders, Verstappen, Norris and Piastri, were covered by less than three tenths, while Russell remained fastest.
As in Q1, the track improved significantly in the final minutes, causing the order to shift repeatedly. When the chequered flag fell, several big names missed out on a place in the pole shoot-out.
Knocked out in Q2 were Bearman, Carlos Sainz, Liam Lawson, Kimi Antonelli and Lance Stroll.
Q3
Red Bull positioned both cars at the end of the pit lane before Q3 began, preparing for an early run. Verstappen, Russell and Leclerc were the only drivers with two fresh sets of soft tyres for the final stage. Verstappen opened the action with help from Yuki Tsunoda, who provided a slipstream down the main straight, and the Dutchman set a strong initial time.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were the closest challengers on the first runs, but both McLaren drivers remained a few tenths short. Behind them, Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Gabriel Bortoleto filled out the chasing group, while Tsunoda completed his support role without setting a representative lap.
After a brief return to the garages, the field rejoined the track for one last attempt. The pressure rose as each driver prepared for a single deciding lap under the lights. Norris and Piastri both found improvements but neither produced a perfect lap, and didn't even manage to beat Verstappen's second to last time. When the session ended, the Dutchman remained on top ahead of Norris and Piastri. Russell secured fourth place, followed by Leclerc, Alonso, Bortoleto, Ocon and Hadjar, while Tsunoda completed the top ten after his earlier assistance.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES POLE FOR THE TITLE DECIDER!!!#F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/lu5gjpcYfK
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 6, 2025
