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The climax to the Formula 1 world championship could hardly be better set up after the three title contenders qualified together at the front of the starting lineup for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Red Bull of Max Verstappen delivered one of the performances of the season – in his stellar career – to take a blistering pole position.

McLaren's Lando Norris, who heads into the race as championship favourite with a twelve-point advantage over Verstappen, is alongside the Dutch driver on the front row.

The Briton's colleague Oscar Piastri, 16 points off the summit, starts third, with the Mercedes of George Russell on the row two.

The Simple Maths for The Leader

For Norris, the maths are simple – and the task looks the same.

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

Verstappen, 28, could secure a fifth straight title if he wins the race with Norris finishing fourth, or if he is runner-up and Norris is lower than seventh.

Australian Piastri, 24, needs some form of drama to befall his competitors if he is to claim his first title. He also approaches the race aware that there is a possibility he could be asked to yield position and assist Norris win if his own chances have faded.

What Moves Will The Challenger Play?

Norris was brief after qualifying relatively short. He seems to be working hard to keep himself settled and calm as he navigates the biggest weekend of his career.

This is logical. Although his route to the championship is seemingly simple, the fact Verstappen's is not threatens to make the points leader's race an uncomfortable one.

With the title on the line, and taking race victory not good enough on its own for Verstappen, the race is unlikely to be simple. The tactics Verstappen may employ to get in Norris' way is an open question.

"No idea," Norris said, when asked whether he anticipated Verstappen to try to slow him into the pack. "Anything is possible. So we'll find out."

Verstappen faced the same question. His response was to point out that it would be harder to execute now, since track modifications have made it less stop-start.

"It was a different layout," Verstappen stated. "In my opinion now you get towed 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 victory alone is insufficient. So I just hope for some Yas Marina drama that happens behind me. So let's see what we get."

That comment about "drama at Yas Marina" evokes memories of a past race where title destiny was turned upside down by strategy errors.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, who experienced that painful race in 2010, has stressed to his team the strength of their year has been and that "setbacks are unavoidable".

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

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

Norris, in his position, has the luxury 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 queried what he had learned about title deciders. His answer 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 pressure will mount in the hours before the race.

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

Commentator and former champion Damon Hill, offering from experience, emphasised the importance of composure.

"How to handle this is to just concentrate 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."

"You know when you lie down in bed at night, there's that moment before you go to sleep? You try sleeping when you can be world champion or not. You need sleep."

"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 elite group of title winners."

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