Lando Norris led teammate Oscar Piastri as McLaren sealed a front row lockout at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that puts them on the brink of Constructors' Championship glory.
McLaren was already a clear favorite for the team title as they entered the season finale 21 points ahead of Ferrari, but their position was significantly strengthened as Norris kept his best until the end to edge out Piastri.
Ferrari's hopes had already been massively dented when Charles Leclerc's exit in Q2 – after exceeding track limits – forced the Monegasque to start from the back of the grid following a 10-position penalty imposed on Friday for got a new battery.
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Charles Leclerc was eliminated in Q2 after breaching track limits in the first corner and with a huge 10-place grid penalty, he will start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last.
Carlos Sainz managed to take third place for Ferrari, but the Italian team will need a miracle in Sunday's race – live Aerial sports to 1 p.m. – to make up their deficit.
World champion Max Verstappen looked to be McLaren's main rival for pole, but he unusually lost form on his final flying lap to finish fifth.
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Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff were left perplexed after a bollard destroyed his lap during Q1 in Abu Dhabi, leaving him 18th for Sunday's Grand Prix.
The Dutchman was surprisingly beaten by Nico Hulkenberg, who produced Haas' best qualifying performance of the season to take fourth, but Pierre Gasly claimed an equally impressive sixth place for Alpine to stage a thrilling finale in the battle for sixth place in the manufacturers' standings.
George Russell's streak of two successive poles ended when he claimed seventh, while teammate Lewis Hamilton made a hugely unfortunate early exit in Q1 in his final appearance at Mercedes before joining Ferrari after a bollard was pushed into the path of his car.
What's next…
Sky Sports F1 Abu Dhabi GP Live Schedule
Sunday December 8
7:10 a.m.: Third race of the F1 Academy
9:20 a.m.: F2 featured race
11:30 a.m.: Grand Prix Sunday: preparation for the Abu Dhabi GP
1 p.m.: The ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
3:00 p.m.: Checkered flag: reaction from the Abu Dhabi GP
4 p.m.: Ted’s notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Watch the final race of the 2024 Formula 1 season – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – live on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday's race at 1pm. Get Sky Sports F1 or stream with NOW
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