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Abu Dhabi GP: Russell tops frantic final practice – Hamilton crashes.
George Russell snatched the top spot in a frantic final practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating championship leader Lando Norris by just 0.004s as Max Verstappen settled for third.
06/12/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
FP3 delivered everything from traffic chaos to a red flag and late-session time attacks – the perfect warm-up for Sunday’s title showdown. Norris, Verstappen and Oscar Piastri all enter the finale with a mathematical shot at the crown, though the McLaren driver holds a 12-point lead over Verstappen and 16 over his team-mate.
Red Flag Chaos and Final Flurry. Just as the session reached full intensity, Lewis Hamilton brought everything to a halt. The Ferrari driver spun into the Turn 9 barrier with 29 minutes remaining and reported that “something buckled at the front and snapped the rear” as he hit the apex.
Verstappen lit the fuse with a 1m24.116s once running resumed, but Piastri immediately reset the bar with a lap half a second quicker. Norris then outdid his team-mate by another quarter of a second, thanks largely to a scorching final sector. Drama unfolded in the pitlane too, as Mercedes released Andrea Kimi Antonelli directly into Tsunoda, ending the RB driver’s session on the spot.
‘George Russell snatched the top spot’;
https://f1i.com/news/555563-abu-dhab...n-crashes.html
Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 for the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
6 Dec 2025
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe
Pos. No. Driver Team Time / Gap Laps
1 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:23.334 14
2 4 Lando Norris McLaren +0.004s 20
3 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.124s 15
4 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.251s 17
5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.259s 17
6 31 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +0.271s 19
7 87 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +0.275s 16
8 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.341s 18
9 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.373s 14
10 23 Alexander Albon Williams +0.388s 18
‘Free Practice 3 Results’;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-a...3-fp3-results/
Nico Rosberg has heard ‘some voices’ suggesting McLaren want Lando Norris to win the F1 title
6 December 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
Nico Rosberg warns Oscar Piastri that it ‘won’t help’ to dwell on McLaren prioritising Lando Norris.
McLaren had opposed team orders through the first 23/24 rounds of the 2025 F1 season, as Brown and team principal Andrea Stella wanted to give Norris and Piastri an equal chance to win the title. But McLaren have faced accusations that they have prioritised Norris this term. There has been much speculation in the F1 paddock that McLaren favour Norris over Piastri over the course of 2025. Nico Rosberg also now claims that he has “heard” ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP that “everybody” at McLaren is almost rooting to see Norris claim the drivers’ title.
“For Oscar, it is a very tough situation,” Rosberg told Sky Sports News (6/12, 09:12). “He was the leader throughout most of the championship and looked like the dominant force, and then Lando has come back. It’s also a British team, and you sense that, I’m sure, without knowing exactly, but I heard some voices like Mark Webber being there and being the only Australian, and everybody is kind of a little bit towards favouring Lando as a world champion.
‘Rooting to see Norris claim the drivers’ title’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/nic...-the-f1-title/
Max P3 in third free practice of Abu Dhabi
06 December 2025
Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl
With a quarter of an hour to go, the session is resumed. The pit lane is crowded as many drivers jockey to get onto the track. Max also heads out on a new set of soft tyres. He improves his time to a 1:24.116, but quickly has to relinquish his hold on first place to Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the McLarens, who are about half a second faster than the Dutchman.
Max returns to the pits, and heads out on a new set of soft tyres. He improves his time to a 1:23.514, placing him third behind George Russell and Lando Norris. In the pit lane, Kimi Antonelli is released straight into the path of Yuki Tsunoda, causing the two to make contact and sustain damage.
At the fall of the flag marking the end of the session, Max improves his time (1:23.458) but stays in P3. He is just 0.124 seconds slower than George Russel, while Lando Norris has a gap of four-thousandths of a second to P1. Fernando Alonso comes fourth, and the third championship contender, Oscar Piastri, finished P5.
‘Max P3’;
https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/6044/
Nico Rosberg brutally mocks Lewis Hamilton straight after Abu Dhabi Grand Prix crash
6 December 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Nico Rosberg saw Lewis Hamilton trying to put his Ferrari ‘in reverse’ after crash. As the world feed cut to Hamilton’s onboard camera, Nico Rosberg saw his former teammate trying to select reverse as if he could get going again. That prompted a brutal reaction.
“Crofty, he’s trying to put it in reverse, should we tell him he’s missing a tyre?” he quipped. Hamilton suggested over the radio that the accident was due to a mechanical issue rather than a driver error: “Something buckled at the front and snapped the rear.”
Rosberg thought the SF-25 was unsettled by striking the ground as Hamilton entered the left-hander. “It starts on the entry already,” he observed. “It starts with bottoming as he was turning in. That already loosened up the rear, and then it just had a follow-on effect. He’s already loose right at the beginning. He thinks something broke.”
‘He’s missing a tyre’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/nic...nd-prix-crash/
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Abu Dhabi GP: Verstappen takes stunning pole ahead of Norris, Piastri.
Max Verstappen took pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Dec 6, 2025
ESPN
‘Max Verstappen took pole’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/4...-oscar-piastri
2025 F1 Abu Dhabi GP – Qualifying Results
Dec 6, 2025
Total Motorsport
F1 Abu Dhabi GP 2025 Qualifying results
Check out the full Abu Dhabi GP 2025 Qualifying results from Yas Marina below.
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:22.207
2 Lando Norris McLaren +0.201
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.230
4 George Russell Mercedes +0.438
5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.523
6 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.695
7 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber +0.697
8 Esteban Ocon Haas +0.706
9 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.865
10 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull –
‘Qualifying results’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/202...fying-results/
F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 starting grid
Dec 6, 2025
The Race
Max Verstappen beat the two McLarens to take pole position for the 2025 Formula 1 world championship deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
No grid penalties have been incurred yet. Ten drivers - including all three title contenders - automatically triggered stewards' investigations for breaches of the maximum delta time rules but these were quickly deemed to not be worthy of penalties.
‘Starting grid’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...starting-grid/
Max Verstappen secures Abu Dhabi Grand Prix pole ahead of Lando Norris
6 December 2025
Rebecca Braybrook
F1 Oversteer
Max Verstappen will start the 2025 season finale from pole ahead of Lando Norris as pressure begins to build on the three championship contenders. Norris leads the standings ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Verstappen and Oscar Piastri closely behind heading into the final race of the year.
Verstappen once again went first with a Q3 lap, which saw him initially put in a really strong first sector. Yuki Tsunoda was used to give the Dutchman a tow during the back straight, which saw Verstappen set an impressive lap time, which initially couldn’t be matched by either McLaren driver.
Russell’s first flying lap on new tyres saw him place only fifth after losing grip under the hotel. The Mercedes driver had a massive slide at Turn 14, which saw him nearly in the barrier. The Brit then asked his team to ensure he came out behind Verstappen for the final qualifying laps, hoping that the Red Bull would give him a tow and help pull him above the McLarens.
‘Max Verstappen will start the 2025 season finale from pole’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max...-lando-norris/
Verstappen beats title rivals to pole position for championship-deciding finale | 2025 Abu…
6th December 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Verstappen took full advantage of his team mate making one of his rare appearances in Q3, as Red Bull arranged for Tsunoda to give him a tow down Yas Marina’s long straights. With Verstappen also doing his first lap on a new set of tyres, he comfortably went fastest with a lap of 1’22.295.
The McLaren drivers used old tyres for their first runs: Piastri took second, three tenths of a second behind, Norris next a further tenth back. The two orange cars took to the track ahead of Verstappen for their final runs, now on fresh tyres. Piastri, first across the line, couldn’t find enough to move up the order. Norris did, but it was only enough to relegate his team mate from the front row of the grid.
Verstappen tightened his grip on pole position by lowering his time to a 1’22.207. Russell was the last driver who looked like he had a chance to beat him but he could only manage fourth behind the McLarens, oversteering wildly out of the last corner. Leclerc salvaged a strong fifth for Ferrari ahead of Alonso and Bortoleto. Tsunoda will start 10th in the second Red Bull having not set a time in Q3.
‘Red Bull arranged for Tsunoda to give him a tow down Yas Marina’s long straights’;
https://www.racefans.net/2025/12/06/...ciding-finale/
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F1 - 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript.
DRIVERS: 1 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), 2 – Lando NORRIS (McLaren), 3 – Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren)
06.12.25
PARC FERMÉ INTERVIEWS (Conducted by James Hinchcliffe)
FIA (Press Release)
Q: Max, first of all, congratulations – 48th career pole. You found an enormous amount of lap time in Q3 there. Where did that come from?
Max VERSTAPPEN: Well, in Q2 I stayed on scrubbed tyres and I think those laps already felt quite decent. And then in Q3 around here, you know, the track temp is coming down. You know that you can push a bit more and that's exactly what we did. We found a bit more lap time and, of course, incredibly happy to be in first. That's the only thing that we can do, right? That's the only thing that we can control, try to just maximise everything we have and then do what we can with the car – and we definitely did that in qualifying.
Q: Lando Norris starts outside of the front row. You guys are really writing the script for us – all three of you starting one, two, three. Lando, you're ahead of one championship rival, behind the other. Are you satisfied with how you did out there? Did you leave anything on the table?
Lando NORRIS: It's tough. I mean, Max did a good job, so congrats to him. We did everything we could. I think my lap was pretty good. I was pretty happy. So yeah, of course disappointed to not be on pole for the final weekend, but we were just not running fast enough today. So, we'll have to try do it tomorrow.
Q: And Oscar, for you, great effort throughout. You were very quick in Q1, came up a little bit short in Q3. How was the run for you?
Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah. I mean, I think it was pretty good. I think the lap I did in Q1, it was nice to finally get into a rhythm through the weekend. And honestly, I think the last lap in Q3 was pretty good as well. There wasn't a whole lot left in that. No, just not quite quick enough today. But yep, sets up a pretty exciting day tomorrow.
‘Post-Qualifying Press Conference’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2025-abu...nce-transcript
Max Verstappen admits to needing ‘help or luck’ to win F1 title despite Abu Dhabi GP pole
06.12.25
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
Verstappen was thankful to team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who, by making it into Q3, was able to sacrifice one lap to give him a tow to help him to pole. “But yeah, it was a good lap already with a little bit of help also of course from Yuki with the tow,” he said. “So that was very nice of him to give up one of his rides. And then in the second lap, I was not sure if I was going to improve just because of the tow that I got. But then again, I just found a little bit more lap time in the corners and that gave me a little bit more lap time. So happy with that, happy with the one lap performance at the end in qualifying. Now, of course, the big question mark is can we keep that up in the race?”
Verstappen, fully aware that his gap to Norris will make it extremely difficult to win the championship, admitted that some intervention and good fortune will be perhaps the only key to success. “Of course, I’m excited and looking forward to it. I’m going to try to win that race,” he said. “But of course, with that, I still need a little bit of help or luck to win the championship. But we’ll see how that goes tomorrow.”
Asked if he will agonise over the various permutations needed to win the title, Verstappen was nonplussed on the subject. “No, we’ll figure it out tomorrow. Not tonight. It’s like talking about strategy,” he said. “You can talk about it for one hour, two hours. And then after one lap, you throw it in the bin. A lot that can go well for you, can go against you. We’ll find out tomorrow.”
‘Help or luck’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...dhabi-gp-pole/
Norris ‘disappointed’ to miss out on pole in Abu Dhabi as he explains approach to title-decider
Championship leader Lando Norris will line up in second place for Sunday's decisive Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the Briton conceding that he was "not fast enough" to outpace title rival Max Verstappen for pole position.
06.12.25
Formula One - Official Site
Lando Norris admitted that he was “disappointed” to not take pole position for the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but the Briton vowed to try to win as he looks to claim a maiden World Championship.
After setting the pace in both of Friday’s practice sessions, Norris did not top the timesheets during any of Saturday’s Qualifying segments, with McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri and Mercedes’ George Russell going quickest in Q1 and Q2 respectively.
Max Verstappen then beat the rest of the pack in Q3, the Red Bull driver clinching pole thanks to his effort of 1m 22.207s. Norris proved to be his closest challenger, but at 0.201s adrift could not beat the Dutchman, meaning that the championship leader will line up in second on the grid.
‘Norris disappointed’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...nuqnYslVOkmPwM
Martin Brundle concerned by Lando Norris’ hand movements in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix cockpit
6 December 2025
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer
Martin Brundle has voiced his concerns over Lando Norris’ driving style during qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after Max Verstappen secured pole for the final race of the season. So far, Norris is playing into the prophecy set by Mathias Lauda. The son of the late and great Niki Lauda voiced his opinion that the championship leader should just focus on finishing within the top-three positions rather than gunning for the race lead.
Martin Brundle shares his concerns over Lando Norris’ driving style during Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying. During Sky Sports F1’s coverage of the final qualifying session of the season in Abu Dhabi, Martin Brundle highlighted how Norris had seemingly changed his driving style between the final free practice session and qualifying.
The former F1 driver turned pundit said, “He’s not had that lovely, fluid driving style that we’ve seen in the free practices, Lando. There’s something a bit edgy and a bit tight about the way Lando’s driving. He needs to calm those hands down for his final attempt.”
“Something a bit edgy and a bit tight about the way Lando’s driving”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...-prix-cockpit/
Norris denies Abu Dhabi GP title fight jitters after crucial pole missed
6 Dec 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
Lando Norris will start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in P2 behind main championship rival Max Verstappen on pole. A fragile mentality is something various F1 pundits and analysts have argued afflicts the leader in the Standings, which might have been the reason for his drop in form at Doha, at could play out again tomorrow during the race that will ultimately see a world champion crowned.
"I mean, it feels a bit different, but just because it's the final race of the year, not because of anything else," Norris said after qualifying. "And I felt pretty normal into Sunday last week. I didn't really have the expectation that I was going to get the championship because I started P3 [He started the race in Qatar in P2] and didn't really expect it."
Norris is "ready to go" into decisive battle for the title. Norris then dismissed any talk of pre-championship nervousness playing a role in missing his second title 'match point' tomorrow, and argued that he was eager to wrap up the season. "I felt good then, [and] I feel good now," the Bristol-born driver clarified. "I feel comfortable and ready to go. I feel like we have a good plan for things. Like Max said, you also just can't plan for everything. So, no, I feel good. I feel excited to get the final race done and then going on with it," Norris concluded.
‘Norris denies Abu Dhabi GP title fight jitters’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/norri...al-pole-missed
Winners and losers from Abu Dhabi GP F1 qualifying
Dec 6, 2025
The Race
Winner - Max Verstappen (1st)
Loser - Oscar Piastri (3rd)
Winner - Lando Norris (2nd)
Loser - Lewis Hamilton (16th)
Winner - Fernando Alonso (6th)
Winner - Esteban Ocon (8th)
Loser - Kimi Antonelli (14th)
Winner - Gabriel Bortoleto (7th)
Loser - Alpine (19th and 20th)
Loser - Nico Hulkenberg (18th)
‘Winners and losers’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...f1-qualifying/
