Max Verstappen of Red Bull revived his quest to secure a fifth consecutive F1 world championship by claiming pole position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday.
Under the Yas Marina lights, Verstappen edged out McLaren’s Championship leader Lando Norris by 0.201 seconds.
Oscar Piastri, the Australian driver and Norris’ McLaren teammate, secured third place in the qualifying session as the third title hopeful.
British driver Norris, holding a 12-point lead over Verstappen, can clinch his first world championship title with a podium finish, irrespective of other outcomes.
Verstappen, however, must win on Sunday and hope Norris doesn’t make it to the podium to claim the championship trophy.
The Dutch driver expressed satisfaction with his performance in Abu Dhabi, where he first claimed the championship in 2021 by overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of a thrilling race.
Meanwhile, it was a tough evening for Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, who was eliminated in Q1.
