Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri lead the grid for Abu Dhabi GP

The three title contenders occupy the front row as other favorites promise an intense battle from the start

Tensions are at their peak in Abu Dhabi ahead of the race that will decide the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship. Max Verstappen will start from pole position, with Lando Norris in second and his teammate Oscar Piastri in third, placing the three championship contenders in the first three spots on the grid.

Behind the Red Bull and McLaren cars, some of F1’s fastest starters line up: George Russell with Mercedes, Charles Leclerc for Ferrari, and Fernando Alonso with Aston Martin, ready to challenge from the opening laps.

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Kick Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, after matching his career-best qualifying result, will start seventh, followed by Esteban Ocon from Haas. Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls occupies ninth, while Yuki Tsunoda, who will be replaced by Hadjar at Red Bull next year, completes the top 10.

Further back, watch out for Oliver Bearman (Haas) and Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), attempting to climb through the field from 11th and 14th, aiming to finish their rookie campaigns strongly. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton starts 16th after another challenging qualifying session with Ferrari, though he can never be counted out of the fight.

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Official Starting Grid – 2025 Abu Dhabi GP:

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	1:22.207
2	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	1:22.408
3	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	1:22.437
4	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1:22.645
5	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:22.730
6	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	1:22.902
7	5	Gabriel Bortoleto	Kick Sauber	1:22.904
8	31	Esteban Ocon	Haas F1 Team	1:22.913
9	6	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	1:23.072
10	22	Yuki Tsunoda	Red Bull Racing	–
11	87	Oliver Bearman	Haas F1 Team	1:23.041
12	55	Carlos Sainz	Williams	1:23.042
13	30	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	1:23.077
14	12	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	1:23.080
15	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	1:23.097
16	44	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	1:23.394
17	23	Alexander Albon	Williams	1:23.416
18	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Kick Sauber	1:23.450
19	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	1:23.468
20	43	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	1:23.890

The race promises to be decisive and strategically intense, with every driver looking to maximize their chances and score crucial points to end the season on a high note.