Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a McLaren front-row lockout at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying, strengthening their bid for the team's first Formula 1 constructors' championship since 1998.

Ferrari's title hopes took a significant hit as Charles Leclerc will start 19th after a track limits violation and power unit penalty, while teammate Carlos Sainz qualified third. Lewis Hamilton faced a setback, qualifying 16th after hitting a bollard in Q1.

Norris claimed his eighth pole of the season with a commanding 0.209s advantage over teammate Piastri. Max Verstappen, initially holding provisional pole, dropped to fifth in the final runs as McLaren showcased superior pace on fresh tires.

Nico Hulkenberg impressed with fourth place for Haas, though he faces a stewards' investigation for a pit exit incident. Pierre Gasly qualified sixth for Alpine, followed by George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas, and Sergio Perez completing the top 10.

"A perfect day for us," Norris commented. "We've been very quick all weekend, and we're pleased with the one-two. We want to beat Ferrari in style, and we want to win."

RB teammates Tsunoda and Lawson will start 11th and 12th, ahead of Stroll in 13th. The grid's rear features several notable names, including Hamilton (16th), Doohan (17th), Albon (18th), Leclerc (19th), and Colapinto (20th).

McLaren's dominant qualifying performance puts them in an excellent position to secure the constructors' championship, with Ferrari needing an extraordinary result to overcome their 21-point deficit in the final race.

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