Match point for McLaren: Formula 1 driver Lando Norris has secured the last pole position of the season and paved the way for his racing team to their first title in the team world championship in 26 years. The Brit set the fastest lap on the asphalt in Abu Dhabi on Saturday in 1:22.595 minutes.
Teammate Oscar Piastri (Australia) had to admit defeat by almost two tenths and made the front row of the grid perfect for McLaren. “The front row is fantastic for the team. Hopefully it will continue like this tomorrow”he cheered.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz (Spain) came third, but things didn’t go according to plan for McLaren’s competitors.
Charles Leclerc has to start last
Because Ferrari star Charles Leclerc was centimeters off the track on his fast lap in turn one in Q2, his time was canceled. The Monegasque fell back to 14th place in the classification, but also received a ten-place penalty for Sunday’s race due to a new battery – so he starts last.
Sainz, who left the Scuderia for Williams after the race, was at least able to easily keep up. “It will be my last chance to win for some time. We have nothing to lose tomorrow”he said. Fifth place went to world champion Max Verstappen (Netherlands) in his Red Bull.
Hülkenberg reassigned after punishment
Nico Hülkenberg surprised in his Haas with an outstanding fourth place and even managed to get ahead of world champion Max Verstappen. However, Hülkenberg was subsequently punished for illegal overtaking in the pit lane and was moved back three places. This means that the 37-year-old Rhinelander is only seventh in his last Grand Prix for the US team Haas.
Horror qualifying for Lewis Hamilton
Record champion Lewis Hamilton experienced a horror qualifying. On his last race weekend for Mercedes, of all things, he was eliminated in Q1. Because a bollard lying on the track got caught in the Brit’s front wing in the crucial minutes, he only ended up in 18th place. “I totally screwed this up, boys” and “that was really bad”radioed Hamilton. He will compete for Ferrari from 2025.
Hülkenberg from Emmerich, however, shone in his last qualifying session for his team. From 2025 he will compete for Sauber and Audi. But because he overtook in the pit lane in Q2, he could face a penalty. It would come at the wrong time: Together with teammate Kevin Magnussen – who is also leaving the US racing team – he is still fighting against Alpine for sixth place in the team world championship. The Dane fell significantly behind Hülkenberg in 15th place.
At the French racing team, things only went according to plan for Pierre Gasly. The Frenchman set the sixth fastest time. Teammate and Grand Prix debutant Jack Doohan (Australia) came last. In the constructors’ championship, Alpine is five points ahead of Haas.