Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton will start their decisive final battle in one of the greatest Formula 1 seasons in history alongside each other on the front row of the grid at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Both Hamilton and Verstappen go into the final race locked together on 369.5 points – only the second time this has happened since F1’s first season in 1950.

Whatever unfolds, history will be made – either 36-year-old Hamilton will claim his eighth world title and become the sport’s most successful driver ever by surpassing Michael Schumacher. Or, 24-year-old Verstappen will win his first title to usher in a new era.

Verstappen has the advantage after taking pole position in his Red Bull with a quite exceptional lap around Yas Marina on Saturday that left Hamilton and Mercedes breathless.

“Max did a great job on that final lap,” Hamilton said, admitting there was no way he could have matched it.

But the battle is a long way from over, for the race is about as perfectly poised as it could possibly be in what is essentially a winner-takes-all contest.
The two title contenders start on different types of tyres, after Verstappen made a mistake and locked up in the second part of qualifying and damaged the set he wanted to use for the opening stint.

And their team-mates, who Red Bull and Mercedes want to use to help in the strategic battle between the two teams, are not right behind them, for Lando Norris produced his own stellar lap to put his McLaren third.

“I have the best seat,” Norris said. “I’m very excited to see what goes on.

“It’s a genuine pleasure to be in this position to see everything that has been going on this season between Max and Lewis, to watch the battles and the racing because I have a lot of respect for them.”