Max Verstappen secured the final pole of the season, the twelfth of the year, and will lead the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix grid on Sunday at 14:00. After holding back his overtly fastout pace in practice, the three-time world champion showed no mercy in qualifying, leveraging a strategic tire choice to push ahead.
At the opposite end of the timesheets, Charles Leclerc stepped up with a strong response after Ferrari endured a difficult start to Yas Marina. The Monégasque driver climbed to second on the grid, while Oscar Piastri of McLaren and George Russell of Mercedes lined up on the second row. Lando Norris, seen by many as a pole contender, had his chances slip away in the final sector and finished fifth.
Sergio Perez faced frustration as a lap was canceled by the stewards for track limits, and Fernando Alonso lined up seventh for Aston Martin. Car improvements and performance issues left Carlos Sainz unable to advance beyond the first segment, finishing far down the order.
Q1: Sainz eliminated at first try
Track temperature turned out cooler than anticipated, adding another layer of difficulty for Ferrari as the cars battled grip and pace. After a difficult Friday crash, Sainz ended the final free practice session Saturday in a precarious position and carried that uncertainty into qualifying. Alonso likewise looked uneasy throughout the weekend, in contrast to the steady performance from Russell and the Mercedes squad, who dominated two of the three practice sessions. The McLarens also showed competitive form, especially compared with recent showings in Las Vegas.
Verstappen posted a first quick lap of 1:24.160, with Norris two tenths behind in second and Leclerc sitting third. Sainz found himself more than half a second off and Alonso lagged far behind, not making the cut. Most drivers switched to a second tire set due to a lack of reliable references. The track improved by roughly four tenths, enabling faster times, though Max still led Circuit Holders in the early stage. Pérez trailed his teammate by 49 thousandths, and Sainz missed the Q1 cut for the first time this season at the hands of a relentless pack. Sargeant, Magnussen, Bottas, and Zhou Zhou also failed to advance.
Q2: Hamilton, another surprise knockout
Red Bull started the second segment with fresh tires, whereas rivals relied on used rubber. Verstappen quickly established the reference time of 1:23.740, while Norris responded by taking second place on the same compound, just ten milliseconds ahead of Pérez. In the next run, Leclerc could not push Verstappen and Norris to the limit, finishing behind them but ahead of Russell. Alonso delivered a bold showing, securing a place in the final run with the sixth-fastest time on his last lap, just three tenths behind Verstappen and about one second behind Pérez. Hamilton, less adaptable than Russell at Yas Marina, failed to improve and became the second high-profile casualty of Q2. Ocon, Albon, Ricciardo, and Lance Stroll also missed progress to the final phase.
Q3: Pole position for Max
Verstappen had two chances to claim pole with a fresh tire set, but he appeared intent on asserting his advantage from the first attempt. The Dutch driver hit provisional pole at 1:23.445. Norris, using used tires, waited for a decisive late lap with new tires to challenge, but could not topple the leader. Piastri stood strong for McLaren in third, ahead of Russell and Pérez, while Alonso ended his opening run in eighth.
In the final duel, Norris pushed hard on equal terms, but running out of grip in the final sector prevented him from beating Verstappen. Piastri briefly challenged before easing past Norris, while Leclerc climbed to second as Verstappen sealed his twelfth pole of a testing season. Alonso will start seventh on race day, a result that keeps him in the battle for strong points despite the late setback.