The starting grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix promises an exciting finale to the Formula 1 season. Max Verstappen has secured pole position, but with only a twelve-point lead over Lando Norris and a sixteen-point lead over Oscar Piastri, anything can still happen in the battle for the world title.
Verstappen starts from the best position, with his two title rivals directly behind him. Norris starts from the second spot, while Piastri departs from P3. The McLaren drivers will have to pull out all the stops to beat the Dutchman and secure the title. With three drivers still in contention for the world title, this is a unique end to the season.
Behind the title trio, George Russell starts in fourth position, followed by Charles Leclerc in P5. Notably, Fernando Alonso, starting sixth, and newcomer Gabriel Bortoleto, who secured an impressive seventh place for Stake F1, have shown strong performances. Esteban Ocon also demonstrated speed with an eighth starting spot for Haas.
The disappointments of the qualification include Kimi Antonelli in P14 and Lewis Hamilton, who for the third time in a row did not get past Q1 and has to start from the sixteenth position. Alex Albon also disappointed with P17.
The race begins at 12:00 UTC. With everything at stake, this promises to be a spectacle that no fan can afford to miss.
