The ultimate qualifying hour of the 2025 Formulation 1 season has arrived.
And what a present awaits us.
The three remaining title contenders — Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri — are set to struggle for pole place together with the remainder of the sphere on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The stakes couldn’t be larger, as simply 16 factors separate these three drivers within the chase for the Drivers’ Championship. Norris enters the weekend with the lead within the standings, sitting on 408 factors, with Verstappen 12 factors again at 396.
Piastri sits on 392 factors after main the standings for many of the season.
Earlier within the week, we walked by way of the assorted title permutations, outlining how Norris is the one driver to actually management his future within the title race. With a podium end, the British driver will safe his first Drivers’ Championship, no matter the place Verstappen and Piastri end. There are different methods Norris can clinch a title within the season finale, however these rely upon the place his two rivals find yourself within the pecking order.
Each Verstappen and Piastri have pathways to a title, however would wish some assist alongside the best way.
Till then, nevertheless, there stays a little bit of enterprise: Setting the beginning grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Norris topped the timing sheets in each FP1 and FP2, nevertheless it was George Russell who led the best way within the ultimate hour of apply, adopted by Norris after which Verstappen.
Qualifying will get underway at 9:00 a.m. Japanese, so observe alongside as the most important qualifying hour of the season unfolds!
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix provisional grid
Right here is the provisional beginning grid for the Formulation 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Spots will likely be stuffed in all through the qualifying hour:
Row |
Place |
Driver |
Staff |
Place |
Driver |
Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Purple Bull | 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| Row 2 | 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 4 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| Row 3 | 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 6 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| Row 4 | 7 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 8 | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| Row 5 | 9 | Isack Hadjar | VCARB | 10 | Yuki Tsunoda | Purple Bull |
| Row 6 | 11 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 12 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Williams |
| Row 7 | 13 | Liam Lawson | VCARB | 14 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| Row 8 | 15 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 16 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| Row 9 | 17 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 18 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber |
| Row 10 | 19 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 20 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying
The ten drivers who superior to Q3 on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix so as of their Q2 end: Russell, Verstappen, Norris, Alonso, Bortoleto, Leclerc, Hadjar, Piastri, Ocon, and Tsunoda.
With Tsunoda in Q3, one has to surprise if Purple Bull tries to get him in place to provide Verstappen a tow on the finish of the session, if mandatory.
Lastly, it was time for Q3.
The largest section of the season.
Purple Bull went first with Tsunoda main Verstappen onto the circuit, maybe placing that tow situation into play. Verstappen was additionally on a brand new set of C5 tires, hoping to make use of the contemporary rubber and clinch a spot on the entrance row.
Verstappen’s first sector was the perfect of all the qualifying hour to that time, as he was certainly following Tsunoda by way of the primary two sectors.
Verstappen got here throughout at 1:22.295, a powerful opening gambit from the four-time champion. Norris responded first with a 1:22.751, effectively off the tempo, however that lap got here on used smooth tires. Piastri was subsequent, additionally on scrubbed smooth tires, and he minimize the beam with a 1:22.622, leaping into second forward of Norris and behind Verstappen.
Russell was subsequent, who endured a giant snap at Flip 14, settling for fifth behind Leclerc and the championship contenders.
Forward of the ultimate push laps, Verstappen had a lead of 0.327 seconds over Piastri and 0.456 seconds over Norris. Up within the F1TV commentary field, Alex Jacques, David Coulthard, and Jolyon Palmer opined that Purple Bull would most likely ship Tsunoda out forward of Verstappen as soon as extra, to provide the four-time champion yet one more tow.
And maybe do it even higher, as Tsunoda may need been slightly too far forward of Verstappen on the observe to maximise the aerodynamic benefit.
Because the clock hit 3:50 remaining, Purple Bull despatched Tsunoda out. Then, radio chatter picked up Russell asking Mercedes to get him behind Verstappen, pondering the Purple Bull driver can be comfortable to provide Russell a tow, to try to place him forward of the McLaren duo.
With 2:30 remaining, Verstappen roared out of his storage, attempting to slip in behind Tsunoda on the observe.
Recreation on in Abu Dhabi as the ultimate two minutes of the qualifying session started.
Notably, Piastri was on the observe forward of Norris, maybe giving McLaren an opportunity to play their very own crew recreation.
Piastri was first, who completed the primary sector simply 0.049 seconds behind the exceptional time Verstappen posted in that sector moments in the past. Norris got here subsequent and was additionally sturdy in that first sector, main into Sectors 2 and three the place McLaren has been stronger this week.
Piastri minimize the beam with a 1:22.437, nevertheless it was solely good for second. Norris got here subsequent with a 1:22.408, which put him into second, nevertheless it was Verstappen who took pole place.
When the mud settled, the highest three contenders had been within the prime three locations with Verstappen on pole, adopted by Norris and Piastri.
When Q2 started, quarter-hour had been on the clock, and it was Verstappen on the entrance of the sphere, ready for the inexperienced mild on the finish of pit lane.
His benchmark time of 1:22.912 set the early commonplace in Q2, however notably, it was behind Piastri’s greatest lap from Q1.
Nonetheless, Verstappen set that point on a used set of the C5 smooth tires.
Different lap occasions got here in, and most drivers slotted in behind Verstappen, however for Russell, who jumped into P1 with 1:22.730, which got here on a set of latest smooth tires but additionally slotted in behind Piastri’s main effort from Q1. The McLarens had been subsequent, and Piastri slotted into fourth behind Verstappen whereas Norris got here throughout the road in P2.
Each of these laps got here on used smooth tires.
Verstappen’s second push lap, once more on used smooth tires, got here throughout the road at 1:22.752, leaping again into second forward of Norris and Piastri.
Because the clock hit six minutes remaining, Russell continued to prime the timing sheets, adopted by Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri. Alonso was in fifth, forward of the rookie Bortoleto.
Hadjar, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Bearman, and Lawson had been the 5 drivers within the drop zone.
That’s when Yas Marina went quiet, and the majority of the sphere waited of their respective garages, with ultimate changes being made earlier than the ending flurry of push laps. The one driver on the observe at that second was Verstappen, however he, too, was winding his approach again to the Purple Bull pit stall.
Yas Marina roared to life on the four-minute mark as Sainz led nearly all of the sphere down pit lane and onto the circuit. Piastri and Norris had been among the many drivers who went out for ultimate runs early, trying to lock their spots within the ultimate section of qualifying for the 12 months.
Solely Verstappen remained in his storage.
Concern grew at Ferrari on Leclerc’s ultimate push lap, as he was yellow by way of the primary sector. He got here throughout the road at 1:22.948 to leap into fourth, a time he wanted as he began his ultimate push lap down in P10.
Antonelli jumped into eighth, however a powerful lap from Bortoleto noticed the Sauber rookie transfer into P4, dropping Antonelli into P9. Then a lap from Lawson got here in forward of Antonelli, dropping the Mercedes rookie into P11 and into the drop zone.
Antonelli was not the one shock within the elimination zone as Bearman, who had been sturdy in Q1, was eradicated down in P11. Becoming a member of the Haas rookie was Sainz, Lawson, Antonelli, and Stroll.
For the final time this season, 18 minutes had been placed on the clock, and Q1 started at Yas Marina. The Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto led the grid onto the circuit, adopted by Lawson and Hamilton.
That was a optimistic signal for Ferrari, after Hamilton clattered into the barrier throughout FP3.
Curiously sufficient, there was a tire break up among the many early runners. Gasly and Hamilton had been on the C4 medium compound, whereas Stroll, Lawson, and Colapinto had been on the C4 arduous tire.
Gasly set the early benchmark of 1:24.729, however that point was rapidly eclipsed by a lap of 1:24.068 from Hamilton. Stroll, with a set of soppy tires bolted onto his AMR25, jumped into P1 for a second solely to be eclipsed by the Sauber duo of Hülkenberg and Bortoleto, with the veteran’s time of 1:23.473 main the best way.
It was across the 13-minute mark when the title contenders rolled out of their respective garages.
Verstappen was the primary of the three to publish a lap time, clocking in at 1:23.325 to go to the highest of the desk by 0.148 seconds over Hülkenberg. Norris was the primary to reply, however his opening gambit slotted in behind Verstappen at 1:23.430, inserting the McLaren driver in third.
It was over to Piastri, who delivered a 1:23.255, which put him forward of each Verstappen and Norris, however he was solely second because it was Bearman main the best way with a time of 1:23.254, simply 0.001 seconds forward of Piastri. However the Haas rookie was dropped to P2 after Russell thundered residence with a 1:23.247 to paved the way.
After the opening runs, Piastri was in third, Verstappen was in fourth, and Norris was in seventh.
On the different finish of the timing sheets, the 5 drivers within the drop zone had been Ocon, Albon, Leclerc, Gasly, and Colapinto.
Because the clock hit 5 minutes remaining in Q1 pit lane roared again to life, because the drivers took to the observe for his or her ultimate push laps with Norris main the best way, trying to get some clear air and e-book his spot in Q2.
The British driver got here residence with a 1:23.178, which put him into P1 for the second. However he was rapidly dropped to P2 when Piastri got here residence at 1:22.605, over a half-second forward of his McLaren teammate.
Verstappen got here in subsequent with a lap that jumped forward of Norris, and the Purple Bull driver slotted in at P2, forward of Antonelli and Leclerc. Piastri, Verstappen, Antonelli, Leclerc, and Norris had been the highest 5 because the clock struck zero, however there have been nonetheless occasions left to come back in.
On the backside of the desk Gasly and Colapinto had been the primary two drivers eradicated, however the Sauber pair of Hülkenberg and Bortoleto had been nonetheless pushing, as was Ocon. Ocon jumped into P12 to advance, after which Bortoleto crossed the road in P14 to knock out Hamilton.
Hamilton, Albon, Hülkenberg, Gasly, and Colapinto had been the 5 drivers eradicated in Q1.
