Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Max Verstappen is aiming to equal Michael Schumacher's record of winning five consecutive drivers' championshipsPublished6 December 2025, 15:13 GMT630 CommentsUpdated 1 hour agoRed Bull's Max Verstappen beat his McLaren title rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to pole position with an imposing performance in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Both Verstappen's laps in the final session were good enough for pole. He was 0.201 seconds ahead of Norris, who edged Piastri by 0.029secs. Norris heads Verstappen by 12 points going into the final race of the season, with Piastri a further four adrift of the Briton. Norris will be champion if he finishes on the podium regardless of anyone else's result. Verstappen would win a fifth consecutive title if he wins the race with Norris in fourth or lower. Mercedes' George Russell will start fourth with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fifth and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso sixth. It was another miserable day for Lewis Hamilton, who crashed his Ferrari in final practice and was knocked out in the first part of qualifying.
