🔗 Share this article

The climax to the F1 drivers' title could hardly be better set up after the three title contenders qualified together at the sharp end of the starting lineup for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Red Bull of Max Verstappen delivered one of the performances of the season – in his stellar career – to secure a blistering pole position.

McLaren's Lando Norris, who heads into the race as championship favourite with a twelve-point advantage over Verstappen, is next to the Dutch driver on the first row.

The British driver's team-mate Oscar Piastri, 16 points off the lead, will begin from third, alongside the Mercedes of George Russell on the row two.

The Straightforward Equation for The Leader

For Norris, the equation is clear – his objective is straightforward.

The 26-year-old will clinch the title for the first time if he secures a top-three finish, irrespective of anyone else's result.

Verstappen, 28, would clinch a fifth consecutive title if he wins the race with Norris finishing fourth, or if he is runner-up and Norris finishes outside seventh.

Australian Piastri, 24, needs some kind of misfortune to happen to his rivals if he is to claim his maiden championship. He will also head into the race knowing that there is a possibility he might be instructed to move aside and help Norris win if his own chances have faded.

What Moves Will The Challenger Play?

Norris kept his answers after qualifying relatively short. He appears striving to keep himself settled and calm as he experiences the biggest weekend of his career.

This is logical. Even though his route to the championship is relatively straightforward, the fact Verstappen's is not threatens to make the points leader's race an uncomfortable one.

With the title on the line, and taking race victory not sufficient on its own for Verstappen, the race is unlikely to be simple. The tactics Verstappen may employ to disrupt Norris's race is an open question.

"No idea," Norris said, when asked whether he expected Verstappen to try to slow him into the pack. "I expect everything. So we'll find out."

Verstappen faced the identical query. His response was to point out that it would be harder to execute now, as changes to the circuit have made it more flowing.

"The track was configured differently," Verstappen said. "I feel like now you receive a slipstream around a lot more. So it's not as easy to do that."

He added: "My goal is victory on Sunday, but I also know that victory alone is insufficient. So I just hope for some Yas Marina drama that unfolds behind me. So let's see what we get."

That remark about "Abu Dhabi magic" evokes memories of a past race where championship fate was turned upside down by strategy errors.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who experienced that painful race in 2010, has stressed to his team the strength of their year has been and that "setbacks are unavoidable".

As Verstappen summarised: "Many things can work in your favour, can work against you, and we discover tomorrow."

There is also the potential of contact at the first corner – a situation Piastri and Verstappen experienced there last year.

Norris, in his position, has the advantage of being able to be cautious at the start.

Piastri, when questioned about action at Turn One, said: "Turn One I'm not sure," he said, "{but I'll have some popcorn ready."

He was also queried what he had learned about title showdowns. His answer was succinct: "Funny things can happen. That's what I've learnt."

Norris 'Has a Weight on His Shoulders'

For all three, and their teams, the pressure will mount in the hours before the race.

Even Verstappen, who has looked relaxation personified so far, admitted to some nerves before qualifying, but said that he used them to help him perform.

Commentator and ex-title winner Damon Hill, offering from experience, emphasised the importance of calmness.

"How to handle this is to just concentrate on what you do for a living," Hill said. "You work with the engineers and try to make the car go faster... Once you have things on your mind, you can't concentrate."

"You know when you lie down in bed at night, there's that gap before you go to sleep? You try sleeping when you might become world champion or not. You need sleep."

"The pressure is immense. It's what you've always wanted. Lando has a weight on his shoulders... on Sunday he'll know whether he has made it and joined that elite group of title winners."

The stage is set. The contenders are in position. The Formula 1 world championship will be decided under the floodlights of Abu Dhabi.