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Max Verstappen has taken pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with a stunning qualifying lap that could be decisive in one of the greatest title fights Formula One has ever seen.

Verstappen's first Q3 time was unanswerable for Lewis Hamilton, who lines up second behind his title rival, followed by McLaren's Lando Norris.

It's advantage Verstappen on Sunday
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It's advantage Verstappen on SundayCredit: Getty
Hamilton looked slightly shocked as he failed to match his rival
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Hamilton looked slightly shocked as he failed to match his rivalCredit: Getty
British driver Norris took third, putting Hamilton and Verstappen's teammates out of the picture
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British driver Norris took third, putting Hamilton and Verstappen's teammates out of the pictureCredit: Getty

Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez sits fourth, with Hamilton's number two, Valtteri Bottas, crucially down in sixth.

Hamilton and Verstappen go into Sunday's race astonishingly level on 369.5 points, but the pole sitter at Abu Dhabi has won the race in the six previous years.

However, the track has undergone drastic changes for this season's edition, with the smoothing out of corners set to favour Mercedes' monstrous straight-line speed.

The theory proved true in Friday's practice sessions, but it was Verstappen who prevailed on Saturday, with a tow from Perez helping him secure a breath-taking lap.

The pair managed to share a fist bump despite tensions dramatically boiling over last time out
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The pair managed to share a fist bump despite tensions dramatically boiling over last time outCredit: Getty
The Dutchman mastered Yas Marina for the second year running despite major changes to the circuit
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The Dutchman mastered Yas Marina for the second year running despite major changes to the circuitCredit: AFP

It wasn't all easy going for Verstappen though, whose Q2 lock up will effect his race strategy on Sunday.

Verstappen decided to set a second time on soft tyres after flat-spotting his medium set, and will now have to start the race on the less durable rubber.

"F*** flat spot. Massive," he said before re entering the pits, but the Dutchman has still taken the impetus heading into Sunday.

Verstappen looked deadly focused pre-race and followed it up with an incredible time
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Verstappen looked deadly focused pre-race and followed it up with an incredible timeCredit: Getty

Last time out in Saudi Arabia Verstappen was half a second up in qualifying on Hamilton, before a final corner mistake left the 24-year-old in pieces at a track where his rival was faster.

This time there was no error to be seen, with Verstappen landing a gigantic early punch in this historical bout.

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