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The climax to the F1 world championship is perfectly poised after the three title contenders secured positions at the front of the starting lineup for Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Red Bull of Max Verstappen delivered a stunning display of the campaign – in his stellar career – to secure a scintillating pole position.

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

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

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 time if he finishes on the podium, regardless 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 runner-up and Norris is lower than seventh.

The Australian Piastri, 24, requires some form of drama to befall his competitors if he is to win his first title. He also approaches the race knowing that there is a chance he might be instructed to move aside and assist Norris win if his own hopes are over.

What Cards Will The Challenger Play?

Norris was brief after qualifying relatively short. He appears striving to keep himself composed and focused as he experiences the biggest weekend of his career.

That's understandable. 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 probably not going to be simple. The tactics Verstappen may employ to get in Norris' way remains unknown.

"No idea," Norris said, when questioned if he anticipated Verstappen to try to slow him into the pack. "Anything is possible. So wait and see."

Verstappen faced the identical query. His answer was to point out that such tactics are more difficult to execute now, as changes to the circuit have made it less stop-start.

"It was a different layout," Verstappen stated. "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 Yas Marina drama that happens behind me. So let's see what we get."

That remark about "drama at Yas Marina" is clearly a reference to a past race where championship fate was completely reversed by pitwall miscalculations.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who experienced that painful race in 2010, has stressed to his team how strong their season has been and that "setbacks are unavoidable".

As Verstappen put it: "Many things can go well for you, can work against you, and we discover tomorrow."

There is also the potential of contact 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: "Turn One I'm not sure," he said, "{but I'll have some handy."

He was also queried what he had learned about title deciders. His reply was succinct: "Funny things can happen. That's what I've learnt."

Norris 'Has a Weight on His Shoulders'

For each contender, and their teams, the pressure will mount in the hours before the race.

Even Verstappen, who has appeared utterly relaxed so far, admitted to some anxiety before qualifying, but said that he used them to help him perform.

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

"How to handle this is to just concentrate on what you do for a living," Hill said. "You speak to the engineers and try to make the car go faster... When 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 can be world champion or not. Rest is essential."

"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 prepared. The protagonists are in position. The Formula 1 world championship will be settled under the floodlights of Abu Dhabi.