- Red Bull driver beats Charles Leclerc to take 14th pole of year
- George Russell is fourth with Mercedes teammate Hamilton 11th
Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final meeting of the 2023 season. The Red Bull driver delivered a superb lap on the Yas Marina Circuit to beat the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc into second and the McLaren of Oscar Piastri into third. Mercedes’ George Russell was fourth and Lando Norris fifth for McLaren. Lewis Hamilton was 11th for Mercedes.
Ferrari suffered a blow to their hopes in their battle with Mercedes for second in the constructors’ championship when Carlos Sainz could manage only 16th, knocked out in Q1 when he encountered traffic.