Max Verstappen expressed immense satisfaction after securing pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. However, he acknowledged that winning his fifth consecutive Formula One title would require considerable luck. Verstappen's performance at Yas Marina Circuit saw him outpace title contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in a thrilling final qualifying session.
Norris, trailing Verstappen by 12 points in the drivers' standings, finished 0.201 seconds behind the Dutchman. Piastri was just 0.092 seconds slower than his teammate. A podium finish on Sunday could make Norris the 11th British driver to become world champion. Yet, Verstappen's strong record at Abu Dhabi, with five pole positions in six years, makes him a formidable competitor.
If
Verstappen converts his pole into a victory, it would be his eighth win of 2025. This achievement could place him alongside Michael Schumacher as only the second driver to win five titles consecutively. However, for this to happen, Norris must finish fourth or lower. "We will find out tomorrow," Verstappen said after securing his eighth pole of the season.
Verstappen added, "I will try to win the race but also, in the back of my mind, we want to score a lot of points to still try and win that championship. We need a bit of luck with what's happening behind us. "
Mr. Saturday in 2025Eighth Pole of the season #F1 || #AbuDhabiGPpic.twitter.com/VPQG1E0fKG Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) December 6, 2025
The weekend saw intense competition between Verstappen and Norris, with Norris initially having an edge after leading FP2 by 0.363 seconds on Friday. However, Verstappen excelled when it mattered most during Q3 with two swift laps that secured his front-row start.
"In Q2 I stayed on scrubbed tyres," said Verstappen about overcoming balance issues during practice sessions. "Then in Q3. you know that you can push a bit more. We found a bit more lap time and. I'm incredibly happy to be in first. "
Verstappen emphasised maximising everything available with their car during qualifying: "That's the only thing that we can do. That's the only thing that we can control. " His focus remains on delivering another stellar performance during Sunday's grand prix.
Grid Positions and Notable Performances
The starting grid features Mercedes' George Russell in fourth place followed by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fifth and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso sixth. Completing the top ten are Gabriel Bortoleto, Esteban Ocon, Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda.
Unfortunately for Lewis Hamilton fans though; he struggled throughout qualifying finishing down at sixteenth position after failing to progress beyond Q1 stage.
