Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s thrilling battle for the Formula One world championship will be settled this weekend at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The pair head to the Yas Marina Circuit level on 369.5 points in the drivers’ standings after a fractious race in Saudi Arabia, where the Red Bull driver was eventually hit with two time penalties.
That did not affect the result, with Hamilton eventually finding a way past Verstappen to claim victory, but not before the pair collided after the Dutchman appeared to slam on his breaks unexpectedly.
Verstappen’s aggressive tactics have courted controversy and, if both he and Hamilton start on the front row in Abu Dhabi, there will be intense speculation over the possibility of a decisive crash.
If both drivers fail to finish the race, Verstappen will be awarded his maiden world championship by way of having more race wins (9) than Hamilton (8) this season. Here is everything you need to know ahead of qualifying:
When is it and what time will it start?
Qualifying will take place on Saturday 11 December in Abu Dhabi and is expected to start at around 1pm GMT.
How can I watch it online and on TV?
Qualifying will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage beginning at 12pm GMT.
If you’re not a Sky customer you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
Viewers in the US can watch via ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
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What are the drivers’ standings?
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 9 | 369.5 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport | 8 | 369.5 |
| 3 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport | 2 | 218 |
| 4 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull Racing | 1 | 190 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Scuderia Ferrari | 0 | 158 |
| 6 | Lando Norris | McLaren F1 Team | 0 | 154 |
| 7 | Carlos Sainz | Scuderia Ferrari | 0 | 149.5 |
| 8 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren F1 Team | 1 | 115 |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda | 0 | 100 |
| 10 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine F1 Team | 0 | 77 |
