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The finale to the Formula 1 world championship is perfectly poised after the three title contenders secured positions at the front of the grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Red Bull of Max Verstappen delivered a stunning display of the campaign – and of his illustrious career – to take a blistering pole position.

McLaren's Lando Norris, who enters the race as championship favourite with a 12-point lead over Verstappen, is next to the Dutch driver on the front row.

The Briton's team-mate Oscar Piastri, 16 points off the lead, starts third, alongside the Mercedes of George Russell on the second row.

The Simple Maths for Norris

For Norris, the maths are simple – his objective is straightforward.

The 26-year-old will be champion for the first time if he finishes on the podium, regardless of what his rivals achieve.

Verstappen, 28, could secure a fifth consecutive title if he takes victory with Norris finishing fourth, or if he is runner-up and Norris is lower than seventh.

The Australian Piastri, 24, needs some kind of misfortune to befall his rivals if he is to claim his maiden championship. He also approaches the race knowing that there is a possibility he could be asked to yield position and help Norris secure the title if his own hopes are over.

What Moves Will The Challenger Play?

Norris was brief after qualifying fairly concise. He seems to be striving to keep himself settled and calm as he experiences the biggest weekend of his career.

This is logical. 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 uncomfortable one.

With the championship at stake, and winning the grand prix not good enough on its own for Verstappen, the race is unlikely to be simple. What Verstappen and Red Bull might try to disrupt Norris's race remains unknown.

"I don't know," Norris said, when asked whether he anticipated Verstappen to try to back him into the pack. "Anything is possible. So we'll find out."

Verstappen was asked the identical query. His response was to note that such tactics are more difficult to execute now, since track modifications have made it more flowing.

"It was a different layout," Verstappen said. "In my opinion now you get towed around a lot more. So it's not as easy to do that."

He added: "I want to win tomorrow, but I also know that victory alone is insufficient. So I just hope for some Yas Marina drama that happens behind me. We shall see what we get."

That remark about "drama at Yas Marina" evokes memories of a past race where title destiny was completely reversed by pitwall miscalculations.

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

As Verstappen summarised: "A lot can go well for you, can go against you, and we discover tomorrow."

There is also the possibility of a collision at the opening turn – a situation Piastri and Verstappen experienced there last year.

Norris, in his position, has the luxury of being able to be cautious at the start.

Piastri, when asked about action 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 learned about title deciders. His reply was succinct: "Unexpected events can happen. That's what I've learned."

Norris 'Has a Weight on His Shoulders'

For all three, and their teams, the tension will mount in the hours before the race.

Even Verstappen, who has looked relaxation personified so far, confessed to some anxiety before qualifying, but said that he used them to help him perform.

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

"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 moment before you go to sleep? You try sleeping when you might become world champion or not. You need sleep."

"It's intense. It's what you've always wanted. Lando carries a burden on his shoulders... on Sunday he'll know whether he has made it and joined that exclusive club of world champions."

The stage is set. The contenders are in position. The F1 world championship will be decided under the lights of Abu Dhabi.