Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – The Outlook for the Race

Can Max Verstappen hold on?

Historically, Max Verstappen is more threatening in races than in qualifying. That’s why today’s pole is only the third for the Dutchman, the first since last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix. His track record when starting from such a position is 50/50: while he did win at Interlagos, he had to concede to Lewis Hamilton in Hungary.

Tomorrow, once again, the Brit will be his main rival for the victory, even if the Red Bull driver is wary of Mercedes’ strategy: « It won’t be easy tomorrow because they have two cars behind me that can adopt different strategies and try to put pressure on me. I will give it my all and have fun! We have a chance to win, but no matter what happens, today was a beautiful day. »

It can thus be noted that the Dutchman does not take into account that his own teammate, Alex Albon, is however lurking in fifth position…

Can Valtteri Bottas bounce back?

He thought he had done the hardest part. But in the end, it’s not enough. After being ahead of his teammate since Imola, Valtteri Bottas thought he had secured his 17th pole position. Unfortunately for the Finn, Max Verstappen emerged and snatched the first place on the grid from him.

For Valtteri Bottas, it is essential to finish the season on a high note, after another season where he never troubled Lewis Hamilton for the title. The Sakhir weekend left its mark, with George Russell’s standout performance. He knows that a victory won’t erase the questions in the minds of the leaders but it would allow him to go on vacation with his head held high. Which would already be a lesser evil.

McLaren, finally third?

The battle for third place in the Constructors’ Championship is still very lively, with twists and turns at every race. The outcome is set for tomorrow, and the standings were largely reshuffled by the qualifiers. Racing Point regained the advantage with its double podium in Sakhir, giving them a ten-point lead over McLaren and 22 over Renault.

The Oranges had a very strong qualifying session, with Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz securing 4th and 6th places. In contrast, the Pink Panthers are on the defensive, with only the 8th fastest time from Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez on the last row due to an engine change penalty. Since the Yas Marina circuit offers many overtaking opportunities, the Mexican should be able to climb up the rankings. But how far? Every position will be crucial, and we can expect some restless moments on the pit wall for both teams.