Saturday at the Yas Marina Circuit delivered championship-defining drama as Max Verstappen claimed a dominant pole position while Lando Norris crucially secured second ahead of Oscar Piastri. From Lewis Hamilton’s FP3 crash to the tense qualifying shootout, day two set the stage for an epic title decider. What unfolded during the final practice and qualifying sessions? Let us here at Supercars.com.GH explain!
FP3
George Russell edged Lando Norris by just 0.004 seconds to top a dramatic FP3 session that featured Lewis Hamilton’s high-speed crash and a pit lane collision between Kimi Antonelli and Yuki Tsunoda. The Mercedes driver’s 1:23.334 came in the closing minutes as championship tensions mounted.
Hamilton’s session ended prematurely when he spun at Turn 9 and crashed heavily into the barriers, reporting “something buckled at the front and snapped the rear.” The seven-time champion walked away uninjured but faced another challenging qualifying start from the back, continuing his woeful finale with Ferrari.
Antonelli’s pit lane release disaster saw him crash into Tsunoda’s path, damaging his front wing and highlighting the chaos that characterized the session. Earlier, Norris had a near-miss with Tsunoda on track, forcing evasive action after the Japanese driver failed to pull aside, prompting a later impeding note.
Oscar Piastri recovered from his Friday struggles to finish fifth, jumping from 18th to first before Norris reclaimed top spot. The Australian’s improvement suggested McLaren had found crucial setup direction overnight, though he remained 0.259s behind Russell’s benchmark.
Qualifying
Max Verstappen delivered when it mattered most, claiming pole position with a dominant 1:22.207 that put him 0.201s ahead of Norris in the championship-defining shootout. The Dutchman’s performance, aided by a Tsunoda tow, showcased his qualifying mastery under immense pressure.
Norris crucially secured second by edging Piastri by just 0.030s, positioning himself perfectly for Sunday’s title decider. The championship leader needs only a top-three finish to guarantee his maiden title, regardless of Verstappen’s result, making his grid position vital.
Piastri’s title hopes faded further as third place left him 16 points behind Norris with limited recovery options. The Australian would require a major misfortune for both rivals to overturn the deficit, making Verstappen’s potential race strategy of backing Norris into the pack a crucial tactical consideration.
Hamilton’s nightmare season finale continued with a third consecutive Q1 elimination, leaving him 16th on the grid. The seven-time champion’s struggles highlighted Ferrari’s difficulties as his debut campaign with the Scuderia ended in disappointment.
Yuki Tsunoda controversially set no time in Q3 after apparently sacrificing his grid position to provide Verstappen with a crucial tow. The Japanese driver’s decision raised questions about team orders as he secured 10th despite not completing a flying lap.
Will Norris convert his crucial second place into championship glory? Join Supercars.com.GH tomorrow to find out!