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The climax to the F1 world championship is perfectly poised after the three title contenders qualified together at the front of the starting lineup for Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Red Bull of Max Verstappen delivered one of the performances of the campaign – in his stellar career – to secure a blistering pole position.

The McLaren driver Lando Norris, who heads into the race as title leader with a twelve-point lead over Verstappen, is alongside the Dutch driver on the first row.

The British driver's team-mate Oscar Piastri, 16 points off the summit, will begin from third, with the Mercedes of George Russell on the row two.

The Simple Maths for Norris

For Norris, the maths are simple – and the task looks the same.

The 26-year-old will be champion for the first time if he finishes on the podium, regardless of what his rivals achieve.

Verstappen, 28, could secure a fifth straight title if he wins the race with Norris finishing fourth, or if he is runner-up and Norris finishes outside seventh.

The Australian Piastri, 24, needs some kind of misfortune to befall his rivals if he is to win his first title. He also approaches the race aware that there is a possibility he might be instructed to move aside and assist Norris secure the title if his own hopes are over.

What Cards Will The Challenger Play?

Norris was brief after qualifying relatively short. He appears striving to keep himself settled and calm as he navigates the biggest weekend of his career.

This is logical. Even though his path to the title is seemingly simple, the fact Verstappen's is not could render the points leader's race an difficult one.

With the championship at stake, and winning the grand prix not sufficient on its own for Verstappen, the race is probably not going to be simple. The tactics Verstappen may employ to disrupt Norris's race is an open question.

"I don't know," Norris said, when questioned if he expected Verstappen to try to slow him into the pack. "Anything is possible. So wait and see."

Verstappen was asked the same question. His answer was to point out that such tactics are more difficult to execute now, as changes to the circuit have made it less stop-start.

"The track was configured differently," Verstappen stated. "I feel like now you receive a slipstream around a lot more. So it's not as easy to do that."

He added: "I want to win tomorrow, but I also know that victory alone is insufficient. So I just hope for some Yas Marina drama that unfolds behind me. So let's see what we get."

That comment about "drama at Yas Marina" is clearly a reference to a historic race where championship fate was turned upside down by strategy errors.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who was involved in that agonising race in 2010, has stressed to his team how strong their year has been and that "setbacks are inevitable".

As Verstappen put it: "Many things can go well for you, can go against you, and we find out tomorrow."

There is also the possibility of contact at the opening turn – a scenario Piastri and Verstappen experienced there last year.

Norris, in his position, has the luxury of being able to be cautious at the start.

Piastri, when asked about action at Turn One, remarked: "I'm uncertain about the first corner," he said, "{but I'll have some handy."

He was also queried what he had discovered about title deciders. His answer was succinct: "Unexpected events can happen. That's what I've learnt."

Norris 'Carries the Burden on His Shoulders'

For all three, and their teams, the tension will mount in the hours before the race.

Even Verstappen, who has appeared utterly relaxed so far, admitted to some anxiety before qualifying, but said that he fed off them to enhance his performance.

Commentator and ex-title winner Damon Hill, speaking from experience, emphasised the importance of composure.

"The way through this is to just concentrate on what you do for a living," Hill said. "You speak to the engineers and try to make the car go faster... Once you have things rattling around your head, you can't concentrate."

"It's like when you lie down in bed at night, there's that moment before you go to sleep? You try sleeping when you might become world champion or not. Rest is essential."

"It's intense. It's what you've always wanted. Lando carries a burden on his shoulders... on Sunday he'll know whether he has crossed that threshold and joined that elite group of world champions."

The scene is prepared. The contenders are lined up. The F1 world championship will be decided under the floodlights of Abu Dhabi.