Verstappen lapped in Abu Dhabi in 1.22.207. World Cup leader Lando Norris will start second on Sunday (2 p.m. Dutch time). Oscar Piastri and George Russell start behind that.
Norris has a twelve-point lead over Verstappen heading into the last race of the year. Piastri follows sixteen points behind Norris.
Yuki Tsunoda remains just ahead of Lewis Hamilton
Norris got off to a slow start in qualifying and only set the sixth fastest time in Q1, which was of course more than enough to advance. Verstappen clocked the second fastest time in that initial phase, almost three-tenths of Piastri’s time. The Limburger lost four tenths in the last sector, to indicate where McLaren made the difference.
Verstappen’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda just made it into Q2, as he set the fifteenth fastest time. The Japanese – who will be a reserve driver next year – was eight thousandths faster than Lewis Hamilton, who was again immediately out. This also applied to Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.
Honda CEO firmly believes in saying goodbye in style to Max Verstappen: ‘He meant so much to us, just like Ayrton Senna’
Verstappen also did not encounter any problems in Q2 and set the second fastest time on used tires, shortly behind George Russell. The Limburger therefore stayed ahead of the McLaren drivers. Tsunoda also reached Q3, this time by seven thousandths at the expense of Oliver Bearman.
Tsunoda was therefore able to drive ahead of Verstappen in the decisive phase of qualifying, thus giving him a slipstream. He also did this in the first fast lap of the Dutchman, who then also put his car in first place.
Both McLaren drivers failed to reach that time, after which Verstappen also improved his time and was ultimately two tenths faster than Norris.