The ultimate qualifying hour of the 2025 Method 1 season has arrived.
And what a present awaits us.
The three remaining title contenders — Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri — are set to struggle for pole place together with the remainder of the sector on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The stakes couldn’t be increased, as simply 16 factors separate these three drivers within the chase for the Drivers’ Championship. Norris enters the weekend with the lead within the standings, sitting on 408 factors, with Verstappen 12 factors again at 396.
Piastri sits on 392 factors after main the standings for a lot of the season.
Earlier within the week, we walked by the assorted title permutations, outlining how Norris is the one driver to actually management his future within the title race. With a podium end, the British driver will safe his first Drivers’ Championship, no matter the place Verstappen and Piastri end. There are different methods Norris can clinch a title within the season finale, however these depend upon the place his two rivals find yourself within the pecking order.
Each Verstappen and Piastri have pathways to a title, however would wish some assist alongside the best way.
Till then, nevertheless, there stays a little bit of enterprise: Setting the beginning grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Norris topped the timing sheets in each FP1 and FP2, however it was George Russell who led the best way within the remaining hour of observe, adopted by Norris after which Verstappen.
Qualifying will get underway at 9:00 a.m. Jap, so comply with alongside as the most important qualifying hour of the season unfolds!
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix provisional grid
Right here is the provisional beginning grid for the Method 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Spots shall be crammed in all through the qualifying hour:
Row |
Place |
Driver |
Group |
Place |
Driver |
Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Pink Bull | 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| Row 2 | 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 4 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| Row 3 | 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 6 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| Row 4 | 7 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 8 | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| Row 5 | 9 | Isack Hadjar | VCARB | 10 | Yuki Tsunoda | Pink Bull |
| Row 6 | 11 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 12 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Williams |
| Row 7 | 13 | Liam Lawson | VCARB | 14 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| Row 8 | 15 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 16 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| Row 9 | 17 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 18 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber |
| Row 10 | 19 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 20 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying
The ten drivers who superior to Q3 on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix so as of their Q2 end: Russell, Verstappen, Norris, Alonso, Bortoleto, Leclerc, Hadjar, Piastri, Ocon, and Tsunoda.
With Tsunoda in Q3, one has to marvel if Pink Bull tries to get him in place to present Verstappen a tow on the finish of the session, if needed.
Lastly, it was time for Q3.
The largest phase of the season.
Pink Bull went first with Tsunoda main Verstappen onto the circuit, maybe placing that tow situation into play. Verstappen was additionally on a brand new set of C5 tires, hoping to make use of the contemporary rubber and clinch a spot on the entrance row.
Verstappen’s first sector was one of the best of your entire qualifying hour to that time, as he was certainly following Tsunoda by the primary two sectors.
Verstappen got here throughout at 1:22.295, a robust opening gambit from the four-time champion. Norris responded first with a 1:22.751, properly off the tempo, however that lap got here on used delicate tires. Piastri was subsequent, additionally on scrubbed delicate tires, and he lower the beam with a 1:22.622, leaping into second forward of Norris and behind Verstappen.
Russell was subsequent, who endured a giant snap at Flip 14, settling for fifth behind Leclerc and the championship contenders.
Forward of the ultimate push laps, Verstappen had a lead of 0.327 seconds over Piastri and 0.456 seconds over Norris. Up within the F1TV commentary field, Alex Jacques, David Coulthard, and Jolyon Palmer opined that Pink Bull would most likely ship Tsunoda out forward of Verstappen as soon as extra, to present the four-time champion yet one more tow.
And maybe do it even higher, as Tsunoda may need been a little bit too far forward of Verstappen on the observe to maximise the aerodynamic benefit.
Because the clock hit 3:50 remaining, Pink Bull despatched Tsunoda out. Then, radio chatter picked up Russell asking Mercedes to get him behind Verstappen, pondering the Pink Bull driver can be comfortable to present Russell a tow, to try to place him forward of the McLaren duo.
With 2:30 remaining, Verstappen roared out of his storage, making an attempt to slip in behind Tsunoda on the observe.
Sport on in Abu Dhabi as the ultimate two minutes of the qualifying session started.
Notably, Piastri was on the observe forward of Norris, maybe giving McLaren an opportunity to play their very own crew recreation.
Piastri was first, who completed the primary sector simply 0.049 seconds behind the outstanding time Verstappen posted in that sector moments in the past. Norris got here subsequent and was additionally robust in that first sector, main into Sectors 2 and three the place McLaren has been stronger this week.
Piastri lower the beam with a 1:22.437, however it was solely good for second. Norris got here subsequent with a 1:22.408, which put him into second, however it was Verstappen who took pole place.
When the mud settled, the highest three contenders had been within the high three locations with Verstappen on pole, adopted by Norris and Piastri.
When Q2 started, quarter-hour had been on the clock, and it was Verstappen on the entrance of the sector, ready for the inexperienced gentle on the finish of pit lane.
His benchmark time of 1:22.912 set the early customary in Q2, however notably, it was behind Piastri’s finest lap from Q1.
Nevertheless, Verstappen set that point on a used set of the C5 delicate tires.
Different lap instances got here in, and most drivers slotted in behind Verstappen, however for Russell, who jumped into P1 with 1:22.730, which got here on a set of latest delicate tires but in addition slotted in behind Piastri’s main effort from Q1. The McLarens had been subsequent, and Piastri slotted into fourth behind Verstappen whereas Norris got here throughout the road in P2.
Each of these laps got here on used delicate tires.
Verstappen’s second push lap, once more on used delicate tires, got here throughout the road at 1:22.752, leaping again into second forward of Norris and Piastri.
Because the clock hit six minutes remaining, Russell continued to high the timing sheets, adopted by Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri. Alonso was in fifth, forward of the rookie Bortoleto.
Hadjar, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Bearman, and Lawson had been the 5 drivers within the drop zone.
That’s when Yas Marina went quiet, and the majority of the sector waited of their respective garages, with remaining changes being made earlier than the ending flurry of push laps. The one driver on the observe at that second was Verstappen, however he, too, was winding his means again to the Pink Bull pit stall.
Yas Marina roared to life on the four-minute mark as Sainz led nearly all of the sector down pit lane and onto the circuit. Piastri and Norris had been among the many drivers who went out for remaining runs early, trying to lock their spots within the remaining phase of qualifying for the yr.
Solely Verstappen remained in his storage.
Concern grew at Ferrari on Leclerc’s remaining push lap, as he was yellow by the primary sector. He got here throughout the road at 1:22.948 to leap into fourth, a time he wanted as he began his remaining push lap down in P10.
Antonelli jumped into eighth, however a robust lap from Bortoleto noticed the Sauber rookie transfer into P4, dropping Antonelli into P9. Then a lap from Lawson got here in forward of Antonelli, dropping the Mercedes rookie into P11 and into the drop zone.
Antonelli was not the one shock within the elimination zone as Bearman, who had been robust in Q1, was eradicated down in P11. Becoming a member of the Haas rookie was Sainz, Lawson, Antonelli, and Stroll.
For the final time this season, 18 minutes had been placed on the clock, and Q1 started at Yas Marina. The Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto led the grid onto the circuit, adopted by Lawson and Hamilton.
That was a constructive signal for Ferrari, after Hamilton clattered into the barrier throughout FP3.
Curiously sufficient, there was a tire break up among the many early runners. Gasly and Hamilton had been on the C4 medium compound, whereas Stroll, Lawson, and Colapinto had been on the C4 exhausting tire.
Gasly set the early benchmark of 1:24.729, however that point was rapidly eclipsed by a lap of 1:24.068 from Hamilton. Stroll, with a set of sentimental tires bolted onto his AMR25, jumped into P1 for a second solely to be eclipsed by the Sauber duo of Hülkenberg and Bortoleto, with the veteran’s time of 1:23.473 main the best way.
It was across the 13-minute mark when the title contenders rolled out of their respective garages.
Verstappen was the primary of the three to publish a lap time, clocking in at 1:23.325 to go to the highest of the desk by 0.148 seconds over Hülkenberg. Norris was the primary to reply, however his opening gambit slotted in behind Verstappen at 1:23.430, inserting the McLaren driver in third.
It was over to Piastri, who delivered a 1:23.255, which put him forward of each Verstappen and Norris, however he was solely second because it was Bearman main the best way with a time of 1:23.254, simply 0.001 seconds forward of Piastri. However the Haas rookie was dropped to P2 after Russell thundered house with a 1:23.247 to prepared the ground.
After the opening runs, Piastri was in third, Verstappen was in fourth, and Norris was in seventh.
On the different finish of the timing sheets, the 5 drivers within the drop zone had been Ocon, Albon, Leclerc, Gasly, and Colapinto.
Because the clock hit 5 minutes remaining in Q1 pit lane roared again to life, because the drivers took to the observe for his or her remaining push laps with Norris main the best way, trying to get some clear air and guide his spot in Q2.
The British driver got here house with a 1:23.178, which put him into P1 for the second. However he was rapidly dropped to P2 when Piastri got here house at 1:22.605, over a half-second forward of his McLaren teammate.
Verstappen got here in subsequent with a lap that jumped forward of Norris, and the Pink Bull driver slotted in at P2, forward of Antonelli and Leclerc. Piastri, Verstappen, Antonelli, Leclerc, and Norris had been the highest 5 because the clock struck zero, however there have been nonetheless instances left to return in.
On the backside of the desk Gasly and Colapinto had been the primary two drivers eradicated, however the Sauber pair of Hülkenberg and Bortoleto had been nonetheless pushing, as was Ocon. Ocon jumped into P12 to advance, after which Bortoleto crossed the road in P14 to knock out Hamilton.
Hamilton, Albon, Hülkenberg, Gasly, and Colapinto had been the 5 drivers eradicated in Q1.
