Abu Dhabi GP F1 2025: Qualifying Predictions

The first day of racing at the F1 Abu Dhabi GP is done and dusted and we had championship leader Lando Norris at the top of the timesheets. The Briton put in a strong enough lap to propel him to the top of the standings with Max Verstappen about 3 tenths behind him.

The first day of racing at the Abu Dhabi F1 GP is often about trying to understand the cars and optimize set-ups. With that done, we head towards the end of the weekend, where teams hope to qualify and secure the best possible grid position for Sunday.

That said, what can we expect from F1's Abu Dhabi GP qualifying? Let's take a look.

#5 It will be very close in the standings

The gaps in the final qualifying simulation were larger than they have generally been this weekend, and some of that could be attributed to the lap times and fuel loads the teams were running.

The differences in classification will be very small this time and the drivers will make the difference.

#4 Except for Alpine and Aston Martin, all midfield teams could make it to Q3

Long straights seem to be hurting Aston Martin. Alpine, on the other hand, this season has been a step behind everyone in general. While we could see that these teams could make it to Q2, Q3 will be a step too far.

#3 Yuki Tsunoda and Lewis Hamilton will not make it to Q3

In qualifying for the F1 Abu Dhabi GP, it will all come down to how well a driver can execute a lap. The gaps will be very small and unless you do your best you will struggle.

This is where we think both Yuki Tsunoda and Lewis Hamilton, two drivers who don't seem to be the most comfortable in their respective cars, will struggle.

It will be a struggle for everyone involved to get into Q3, and we don't think either of them will.

#2 Max Verstappen will qualify in the top 3

Red Bull looked to be a handy package overall this weekend, and while Lando Norris had a pretty disheartening lap at the end, Max Verstappen still has a pretty competitive car under him.

Is it good enough to secure a pole position? Probably not, but the driver should be able to put in a good enough lap to at least start in the top 3.

#1 Lando Norris secures pole position for F1's Abu Dhabi GP

The pole position will be contested between the McLaren duo and Max Verstappen, and it seems that the Briton has an advantage in the last sector. Oscar Piastri he'll progress overnight and into FP3, but Norris seems to have it all at the moment, and we're backing the championship leader to start the race on pole.