ABU DHABI.— Lando Norris led a McLaren front row sweep in qualifying for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday with the team perfectly placed to win its first Formula One constructors’ title since 1998.
The Briton swept to pole position 0.209 seconds clear of Australian teammate Oscar Piastri at the floodlit Yas Marina circuit.
The pair had earlier dominated final practice as well as Friday’s second session.
“We want to win, I want to win. We know what we have to do. . . tomorrow we will have a good chance,” said Norris, calling it a perfect day after setting a pole lap of one minute 22.595 seconds.
Team boss Zak Brown added: “I won’t sleep well tonight but I’m very excited for tomorrow.”
Ferrari, 21 points behind McLaren, saw its challenge unravel with Carlos Sainz third on the grid but Charles Leclerc set to start 19th after qualifying 14th with an additional 10 place penalty.
The Monegasque had his lap in the second phase deleted for exceeding track limits.
“I think it was already extremely difficult, a mission impossible before the weekend started,” said Sainz of Ferrari’s prospects.
“It was always going to be difficult … but until the checkered flag comes down tomorrow anything is possible.”
Nico Hulkenberg qualified a remarkable fourth fastest for what will be a farewell to Haas, the German moving on to Sauber next year, but was later demoted three places for overtaking two cars in the tunnel of the pit lane exit is something that dreams are made of.
That lifted four times world champion Max Verstappen from fifth to fourth for Red Bull.
Verstappen had been on provisional pole with new tires, despite a big slide, before the final flying laps with the McLaren drivers second and third on used tires.
“If I didn’t drop it on the last corner, I think I could have fought for second,” he said.
Pierre Gasly will line up fifth for Alpine, George Russell sixth for Mercedes and directly behind Verstappen.
That could lead to a spicy start, with Verstappen and Russell in a war of words that has gripped the paddock since Thursday.
Fernando Alonso starts eighth for Aston Martin while Valtteri Bottas, in what is likely to be his last F1 race, lines up ninth for Sauber.
