Verstappen marks pole position in Abu Dhabi and aspires to his definitive comeback for the title

The Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) has achieved this Saturday ahead of the Englishman Lando Norris (McLaren) the pole position of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the twenty-fourth and final round of the Formula 1 World Championship, while the Spanish Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Carlos Sainz (Williams) have been sixth and twelfth, respectively.

On the semi-urban Yas Marina circuit, where Norris leads the World Championship with 12 points ahead of Verstappen and 16 over his teammate, the Australian Oscar Piastri, another Englishman took center stage for very different reasons. And Lewis Hamilton, during a horrible season with Ferrari, had an accident in Free Practice 3 and spun.

It was a bad omen for Q1 hours later, since ‘in ‘extremis’ was screened – in this order – along with the Thai Alexander Albon (Williams), the German Nico Hülkenberg (Kick Sauber), the French Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and the Argentine Franco Colapinto (Alpine).

In that Q1, Piastri led (1:22.605), beating Verstappen by 0.272 and with Alonso fourth (+0.466), as a sign of the good feelings he had had during Free Practice 3. The provisional sixth place went to Norris (+0.573), just above Sainz (+0.582) in the time table.

Also English, George Russell (Mercedes) was an uncomfortable guest among the three contenders for the drivers’ title, since in Q1 he had shown his teeth and also at the beginning of Q2 he briefly took the lead with a time of 1:22.730. Then Verstappen got closer to 0.022 on used tires, warning of what would come next.

In the next attempt launched on the Abuja asphalt, the Englishman Oliver Bearman (Haas), the aforementioned Sainz, the New Zealander Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), the Italian Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and the Canadian Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) were screened – in this order -.

Regarding the performance of the Spaniards, the discretion of the Madrid native contrasted with what was exhibited by Alonso, since the Asturian had once again been fourth (+0.131) and faced a Q3 in which Verstappen opened the hostilities running in 1:22.295 with used tires, to which Norris responded first (+0.456) and then Piastri (+0.327) even better.

To complete the next challenge, with new tires, there were five minutes left and the famous singer Katy Perry was a luxury spectator in the McLaren garage. Two minutes on the clock and the drivers returned to the circuit, where the night smiled on the inspired Vestappen; Not in vain, ‘Mad Max’ did 1:22.207 to take pole position instead of Norris (+0.201).

The third contender to win this close World Championship will start from third place (+0.230) in the Sunday race and next to Piastri will be Russell (4th, +0.438), who improved on Monegasque Charles Leclerc (5th, +0.523) and Alonso (6th, +0.695) who confirmed his good Saturday.