On the night the 2025 F1 World Championship grid was set for its final showdown, Max Verstappen rose under the Yas Marina floodlights and delivered when it mattered most. The four-time champion unleashed a spectacular Q3 lap to secure a crucial pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating both McLarens to keep his title dream burning bright into Sunday.
What To Know?
- Verstappen pole with 1:22.207, ahead of Norris and Piastri
- Hamilton out in Q1, starts P16 after FP3 crash
- Russell P4, Alonso P6, Bortoleto impresses in P7
It had been a rotating baton of pace across the knockout sessions — Oscar Piastri fastest in Q1, George Russell on top in Q2 — but when the track gripped up and everything came down to two laps, Verstappen hit another level. His opening flyer put the pressure firmly on McLaren, and his final attack only pushed the bar higher again: a stunning 1m 22.207s.
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Both Norris and Piastri threw everything at their last-chance laps. Norris came closest, but even his best was 0.201s shy, locking in P2. Piastri followed just 0.029s behind his teammate for P3 — a title-fight first three on the grid that promises pure theatre into Turn 1 tomorrow night.
Behind the championship trio, Russell secured a solid fourth for Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc delivered fifth for Ferrari ahead of a confident Fernando Alonso in P6 for Aston Martin. Gabriel Bortoleto continued his impressive form with seventh for Kick Sauber, followed closely by Esteban Ocon’s Haas in eighth. Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda — in the latter’s final qualifying session as a Red Bull driver — completed the top 10.
There were big stories outside the top 10, too. After starring across practice, Ollie Bearman narrowly missed out on Q2, while Carlos Sainz — fresh from a Qatar podium — landed P12 and faces a long fight forward in the Williams.
Liam Lawson followed in 13th for Racing Bulls, with Kimi Antonelli in 14th after wrestling persistent rear-end instability on his Mercedes. Lance Stroll rounded out the Q2 runners in 15th.
Then came the shock of Q1: Lewis Hamilton eliminated in P16, just hours removed from his FP3 crash, leaving Ferrari with major overnight work and Hamilton with a mountain to climb. Alex Albon will line up just behind in P17 for Williams.
Kick Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg could not convert Friday’s promise and wound up P18, while the Alpine pair Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto will bring up the rear in 19th and 20th as the French team signs off its final outing with Renault power.
2025 Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying Results
2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying, 6 December 2025
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:22.877 | 1:22.752 | 1:22.207 | 18 |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:23.178 | 1:22.804 | 1:22.408 | 17 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:22.605 | 1:23.021 | 1:22.437 | 17 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:23.247 | 1:22.730 | 1:22.645 | 18 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:23.163 | 1:22.948 | 1:22.730 | 18 |
| 6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:23.071 | 1:22.861 | 1:22.902 | 18 |
| 7 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 1:23.374 | 1:22.874 | 1:22.904 | 21 |
| 8 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 1:23.334 | 1:23.023 | 1:22.913 | 18 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:23.373 | 1:22.997 | 1:23.072 | 18 |
| 10 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 1:23.386 | 1:23.034 | 17 | |
| 11 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 1:23.254 | 1:23.041 | 11 | |
| 12 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:23.187 | 1:23.042 | 12 | |
| 13 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:23.265 | 1:23.077 | 14 | |
| 14 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:22.894 | 1:23.080 | 12 | |
| 15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:23.316 | 1:23.097 | 15 | |
| 16 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:23.394 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:23.416 | 6 | ||
| 18 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 1:23.450 | 9 | ||
| 19 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:23.468 | 9 | ||
| 20 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:23.890 | 9 |
2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Starting Grid
The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying session.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Quali Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:22.207 | 18 |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:22.408 | 17 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:22.437 | 17 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:22.645 | 18 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:22.730 | 18 |
| 6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:22.902 | 18 |
| 7 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 1:22.904 | 21 |
| 8 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 1:22.913 | 18 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:23.072 | 18 |
| 10 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 1:23.034 | 17 |
| 11 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 1:23.041 | 11 |
| 12 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:23.042 | 12 |
| 13 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:23.077 | 14 |
| 14 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:23.080 | 12 |
| 15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:23.097 | 15 |
| 16 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:23.394 | 9 |
| 17 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:23.416 | 6 |
| 18 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 1:23.450 | 9 |
| 19 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:23.468 | 9 |
| 20 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:23.890 | 9 |
Race Guide
Season: 2025 F1 World Championship
Race weekend: 5 December 2025 – 7 December 2025
Race date: Sunday, 7 December 2025
Race start time: 17:00 local time
Circuit: Yas Marina Circuit
Laps: 58
Circuit length: 5.281km
2024 winner: Lando Norris
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