Max Verstappen was in scintillating form at Yas Marina, grabbing his tenth pole of the season under the lights in Abu Dhabi. Having won from pole here last season, the Dutchman knows he is one step closer to that maiden championship crown.
Verstappen’s 1m 22.109s was an incredible 0.371s clear of Lewis Hamilton, who lines up second on the grid after seeing his rival surge ahead. It was also a new track record, Yas Marina having gone through some extensive changes since the F1 circus last raced here in 2020.
Red Bull played the team game, using Verstappen’s team mate Sergio Perez to provide a ‘tow’ on the first flying laps in Q3, which propelled the Dutchman forward and contributed to his stunning time. That lap was so good, Verstappen didn’t even need to finish his second flying run, knowing pole was already his.
Watch Verstappen's pole-setting lap in the video player above.
Next Up
Related Articles
ExclusiveWhy Sainz feels ‘vindicated’ after his first Williams year
Stroll opens up on 'noise' that has followed him in F1
Our writers on the best drivers and stories from 2025
GALLERY: Check out renders of the innovative 2026 car
UnlockedQUIZ: 10 questions on the new World Champion Lando Norris
Tremayne'Why I’ll always have a soft spot for Sauber'