Max to start Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole: 'Happy to be in first'

Published on 06 December 2025 by Florence Cobben

Max Verstappen will start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole position. On the 5.281 meter Yas Marina Circuit, the Oracle Red Bull Racing-driver race his RB21 down the circuit and to the top of the timesheets. Lando Norris parked his car in P2, ahead of McLaren-teammate Oscar Piastri. George Russel in his Mercedes and Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari completed the top five. Max’s Oracle Red Bull Racing-teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, qualified tenth.

“In Q2 I stayed on scrubbed (used) tyres,” Max explains to the commentator after qualifying. “Those laps already felt quite decent. And then in Q3 around here the track temperature is coming down and you can push a bit more. And that’s exactly what we did – find a bit more lap time. And of course (I'm) incredibly happy to be in first. That’s the only thing we can do, right? That’s the only thing we can control - try to just maximize everything we have, and we definitely did that in qualifying.”

The start of Q1 is visited by a temperature of 25 degrees and a track temperature of 30 degrees; almost 10 degrees cooler than during the last free practice. Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly do their first run on mediums. The gamble doesn’t pay off, and they immediately fall to the back of the grid. The other drivers start on softs.

After the first run George Russell, Oliver Bearman and Piastri are in the top three and Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Franco Colapinto, Leclerc and Gasly are at risk of elimination. As the flag to mark the end of Q1 is raised, Hamilton, Albon, Nico Hülkenberg Gasly and Colapinto find themselves on the wrong side of the line, and the first drivers to exit stage left. The top three of the session are Piastri, Max and Kimi Antonelli.

At the start of Q2, Max is the one to gamble and goes out on track first on a set of used soft tyres. As he begins his first timed lap, the rest of the grid is still biding their time, and the Dutchman has the track to himself. Although he’s out on used tyres, he sets a respectable time.

After the firs runs, Isack Hadjar, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Bearman and Liam Lawson are the drivers in the danger zone, and George Russell, Norris and Max top the timesheets. In the closing phases of Q2, Max stays in the pits, while the rest of the grid attempts another lap. As the second part of the session draws to a close, it’s Oliver Bearman, Carlos Sainz, Lawson, Antonelli and Lance Stroll who are free to hit the showers. Russell, Max and Norris are the fastest cars of the session.

At the start of Q3 it is Max who has a trump card in his favor – he still has two sets of fresh soft tyres to his disposal, while the competing McLarens have just one. Red Bull Racing take the lead and send out Tsunoda ahead of Max onto the track.

The first run puts Max at a respectable three-tenths gap ahead of Piastri and Norris in second and third. In the decisive run for pole position, tensions are high and Max is on his own to defend his preliminary pole position.

Everyone is on a set of soft new tyres, and Piastri is the first of the championship contenders to go out and set a timed lap. Behind the Australian, Max sets a purple first sector. The second sector, too, is purple for the Dutchman. Both McLaren’s grip on pole position starts to slip as Max improves his time and claims the last pole position of the year. The question remains how decisive this qualifying round will be for the ultimate fight for the championship tomorrow.

Contest GP Abu Dhabi: win a by Max Verstappen signed Red Bull Racing cap!

Results qualifying Abu-dhabi: