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

Red Bull's Max Verstappen put in one of the performances of the season – in his stellar career – to secure a blistering pole position.

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

The Briton's team-mate Oscar Piastri, 16 points behind the summit, starts third, alongside Mercedes' George Russell on the row two.

The Simple Maths for Norris

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

The 26 year old will clinch the title for the first occasion if he finishes on the podium, regardless of anyone else's result.

Verstappen, 28, would clinch a fifth straight title if he takes victory with Norris finishing fourth, or if he is second and Norris finishes outside seventh.

Australian Piastri, 24, requires some kind of misfortune to befall his rivals if he is to win his maiden championship. He also approaches the race aware that there is a chance he could be asked to move aside and assist Norris secure the title if his own chances have faded.

What Cards Will The Challenger Play?

Norris was brief after qualifying fairly concise. He appears working hard to keep himself composed and focused as he experiences the biggest weekend of his career.

This is logical. Even though his path to the title 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 sufficient on its own for Verstappen, the race is probably not going to be simple. The tactics Verstappen may employ to get in Norris' way remains unknown.

"I don't know," Norris said, when questioned if he expected Verstappen to try to slow him into the pack. "I expect everything. 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 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 added: "My goal is victory on Sunday, but I also know that that's not enough. So I just hope for some Abu Dhabi magic that happens behind me. We shall see what we get."

That remark about "Abu Dhabi magic" evokes memories of a historic race where championship fate was turned upside down by pitwall miscalculations.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who was involved in that agonising race in 2010, has emphasised to his team the strength of their season 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 potential of a collision at the first corner – a scenario Piastri and Verstappen experienced there last year.

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

Piastri, when questioned about action at Turn One, remarked: "I'm uncertain about the first corner," he said, "{but I'll have some handy."

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

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, confessed to some anxiety before qualifying, but said that he fed off them to enhance his performance.

Commentator and ex-title winner Damon Hill, speaking from experience, highlighted the importance of composure.

"The way through 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 on your mind, you can't concentrate."

"You know 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. 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 crossed that threshold and joined that exclusive club of world champions."

The scene is prepared. The protagonists are in position. The Formula 1 world championship will be decided under the lights of Abu Dhabi.