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The climax to the Formula 1 drivers' title could hardly be better set up after the triple championship challengers qualified together at the sharp end of the grid for Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen put in a stunning display of the campaign – and of his illustrious career – to take a scintillating pole position.

McLaren's Lando Norris, who heads into the race as title leader with a 12-point advantage over Verstappen, is alongside the Dutchman on the first row.

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

The Straightforward Equation for The Leader

For Norris, the equation is clear – his objective is straightforward.

The 26-year-old will be champion for the first occasion if he secures a top-three finish, irrespective of what his rivals achieve.

Verstappen, 28, could secure a fifth consecutive title if he wins the race with Norris in fourth, or if he is second and Norris is lower than seventh.

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

What Cards Will Verstappen Play?

Norris kept his answers after qualifying relatively short. He seems to be striving to keep himself composed and focused as he navigates the biggest weekend of his career.

That's understandable. Even though his route to the championship is relatively straightforward, the fact Verstappen's is not threatens to make the championship leader's race an difficult one.

With the title on the line, and taking race victory not sufficient on its own for Verstappen, the race is probably not going to be simple. What Verstappen and Red Bull might try to get in Norris' way is an open question.

"No idea," Norris said, when asked whether he expected Verstappen to try to back him into the pack. "Anything is possible. So wait and see."

Verstappen faced the same question. His answer was to note 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 said. "I feel like now you receive a slipstream around a lot more. So it's not as easy to do that."

He continued: "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. We shall see what we get."

That remark about "Abu Dhabi magic" is clearly a reference to a past race where championship fate was turned upside down by strategy errors.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, who was involved in that painful race in 2010, has stressed to his team how strong their year has been and that "bumps on the road are unavoidable".

As Verstappen put it: "A lot can work in your favour, can work against you, and we discover tomorrow."

There is also the possibility of a collision at the first corner – a situation Piastri and Verstappen were involved in there last year.

Norris, in his favourable position, has the advantage of being able to be conservative at the start.

Piastri, when questioned about excitement at Turn One, remarked: "Turn One I'm not sure," he said, "{but I'll have some popcorn ready."

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

Norris 'Has a Weight on His Shoulders'

For each contender, and their teams, the tension will build in the hours before the race.

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

Commentator and ex-title winner Damon Hill, offering from experience, emphasised the critical nature of composure.

"How to handle this is to just focus on what you do for a living," Hill said. "You work with 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 gap 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 has a weight on his shoulders... on Sunday he'll know whether he has crossed that threshold and joined that exclusive club of title winners."

The stage is set. The protagonists are lined up. The F1 world championship will be settled under the floodlights of Abu Dhabi.