McLaren is poised to secure the championship after dominating the front row in qualifying. Their impressive performance positions them favorably for the title.
Lando Norris took the lead in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing a front row sweep for McLaren. This puts the team in a prime position to win their first Formula One constructors’ title since 1998. At the Yas Marina circuit, Norris claimed pole position with a gap of 0.209 seconds ahead of his Australian teammate, Oscar Piastri, under the floodlights. The duo had already dominated the final practice and Friday’s second session. Expressing his desire for victory, Norris stated that it was a perfect day after completing a pole lap in one minute and 22.595 seconds. Team principal Zak Brown shared his excitement for the upcoming race but admitted that he wouldn’t sleep well tonight. On the other hand, Ferrari faced setbacks as Carlos Sainz secured third place on the grid, while Charles Leclerc received a 10-place penalty, dropping him to 19th position after qualifying 14th.
The Italian team is currently trailing McLaren by 21 points in the championship standings.
The Monegasque driver had his lap deleted in the second phase due to exceeding track limits. According to Sainz from Ferrari, he believed that their prospects were extremely difficult and almost impossible even before the weekend started. Sainz also mentioned that until the race is over tomorrow, anything is still possible. Nico Hulkenberg achieved an impressive fourth fastest time during qualifying, but due to overtaking two cars in the tunnel of the pitlane exit, he was later demoted three places. This race will be his farewell to Haas as he moves on to Sauber next year. As a result of Hulkenberg’s penalty, Max Verstappen from Red Bull moved up from fifth to fourth position. Verstappen initially held provisional pole position with new tyres, despite a significant slide on the track. However, during the final flying laps, the McLaren drivers managed to secure the second and third positions on used tyres. Verstappen expressed that if he hadn’t lost control in the last corner, he could have potentially fought for second place.
For Alpine, Pierre Gasly will start in fifth position, while George Russell from Mercedes will line up in sixth place directly behind Verstappen.
That may result in an intense beginning, as Verstappen and Russell engage in a heated exchange of words that has captured the attention of the paddock since Thursday. Fernando Alonso commences the race in eighth position for Aston Martin, while Valtteri Bottas, who is likely participating in his final F1 race, lines up ninth for Sauber. The beloved Finn has yet to earn a single point in 23 races this season, so securing a top 10 finish on Sunday would be a fitting farewell. Sergio Perez, whose performance has been lacklustre since his contract extension, secured the tenth spot for Red Bull but was still far from competitive. Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, only managed to qualify in 18th place but will start 16th in his last race for Mercedes before transitioning to Ferrari. Unfortunately, luck was not on his side as a broken plastic bollard became lodged under his car. The bollard was initially damaged by Haas’s Kevin Magnussen and then inadvertently picked up by Hamilton during his final attempt to avoid elimination. “You couldn’t make this up, truly unbelievable, but it is what it is,” remarked Hamilton, who holds the record for the most victories at this track as well as in Formula One with five wins.
“We put in maximum effort, I gave my all, and the car was in a favourable position. Each practice session went smoothly, and I outperformed my teammate throughout the entire weekend. However, when it came to qualifying, I believe our team as a whole didn’t meet the timing expectations.”
Australian newcomer Jack Doohan, son of the renowned motorcycle racer Mick, stepped in for Esteban Ocon at Alpine but ended up qualifying in last place. He will begin the race in 17th position, putting him ahead of both Williams drivers who have received penalties.
Alpine is battling to maintain their sixth place standing and stay ahead of Haas, with millions of dollars on the line.
