Verstappen on pole for F1 title-decider with Norris alongside

ABU DHABI, Dec 6 : Formula One's title contenders seized the top three grid slots on Saturday to set up a tense season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with a jubilant Max Verstappen on pole ahead of McLaren's championship leader Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

In a tactical move by Red Bull, four-times world champion Verstappen was given an aerodynamic tow by teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who will start 10th, to go top on his first flying lap.

He then went 0.088 faster with his second unassisted effort to clock a time of one minute 22.207 seconds, 0.201 faster than Norris.

Norris moved up from third to second with his second effort after teammate Piastri had looked like qualifying ahead.

NORRIS WILL TAKE TITLE IF ON THE PODIUM

The Briton is 12 points clear of Verstappen, and a further four ahead of Piastri, and will be champion if he finishes on the podium in Sunday night's floodlit race at the Yas Marina circuit.

That may not be so straightforward, with Mercedes's George Russell - fastest in the second phase and in final practice - lurking in fourth place on the grid and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fifth.

"I am incredibly happy to be in first. That's the only thing we can do, we can control, to maximise what we have and what we can do with the car and we definitely did that in qualifying," said Verstappen.

"Of course I'm excited, I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to try to win that race," added the Dutchman, who will need other drivers' results to go his way.

Norris said he was disappointed not to end the season with a pole but his effort was the best he could do and he would take the fight to Verstappen on Sunday.

"Today when you look at it we weren't quite quick enough," he said. "I still want to win tomorrow and that's going to be the