🔗 Share this article

The finale to the Formula 1 drivers' title is perfectly poised after the three title contenders secured positions at the front of the grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen put in one of the performances of the campaign – and of his illustrious career – to take a blistering pole position.

The McLaren driver Lando Norris, who enters the race as championship favourite with a twelve-point advantage over Verstappen, is alongside the Dutchman on the front row.

The Briton's team-mate Oscar Piastri, sixteen points off the lead, will begin from third, alongside the Mercedes of George Russell on the second row.

The Simple Maths 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 finishes on the podium, regardless of anyone else's result.

Verstappen, 28, would clinch a fifth straight title if he wins the race with Norris in fourth, or if he is second and Norris is lower than seventh.

Australian Piastri, 24, needs some kind of misfortune to befall his competitors if he is to claim his first title. He will also head into the race knowing that there is a possibility he could be asked to move aside and assist Norris win if his own hopes are over.

What Cards Will The Challenger Play?

Norris was brief after qualifying fairly concise. He appears striving to keep himself settled and calm as he experiences the biggest weekend of his career.

That's understandable. Although his route to the championship is seemingly simple, the fact Verstappen's is not threatens to make the points leader's race an difficult one.

With the championship at stake, and winning the grand prix not sufficient on its own for Verstappen, the race is probably not going to be simple. What Verstappen and Red Bull might try to get in Norris' way is an open question.

"I don't know," Norris said, when questioned if he expected Verstappen to try to slow him into the pack. "Anything is possible. So we'll find out."

Verstappen faced the identical query. His answer was to point out that such tactics are more difficult to execute now, since track modifications have made it less stop-start.

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

He added: "I want to win tomorrow, but I also know that victory alone is insufficient. So I just hope for some Yas Marina drama that happens behind me. We shall see what we get."

That remark about "drama at Yas Marina" evokes memories of a historic race where championship fate was completely reversed by strategy errors.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who was involved in 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 a collision at the first corner – a situation Piastri and Verstappen experienced there last year.

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

Piastri, when questioned about excitement at Turn One, remarked: "I'm uncertain about the first corner," he said, "{but I'll have some handy."

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

Norris 'Carries the Burden on His Shoulders'

For all three, and their teams, the tension will build in the hours before the race.

Even Verstappen, who has appeared utterly relaxed so far, confessed to some anxiety before qualifying, but said that he used them to help him perform.

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

"The way through this is to just focus on what you do for a living," Hill said. "You speak to 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 moment 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 world champions."

The scene is set. The protagonists are in position. The F1 world championship will be decided under the lights of Abu Dhabi.