It’s advantage McLaren ahead of the Constructors’ Championship decider but Juan Pablo Montoya has warned a “dive bomb” from Max Verstappen could turn the table in Ferrari’s favour.

McLaren will line up first and second on the Yas Marina grid after Lando Norris claimed his eighth pole position ahead of his team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Could Max Verstappen help settle the teams’ trophy?

It meant McLaren don’t have the advantage in the standings, where they are 21 points ahead of Ferrari as F1 gears up for the finale race of the campaign, but they also have track advantage.

That latter is bigger than McLaren anticipated after Friday’s opening practice when Charles Leclerc was quickest only to be slapped with a 10-place grid penalty for taking a sixth new Energy Store.

A track limit violation when cost the Monegasque driver in qualifying, leaving him P14 on the timesheets which means he’ll be starting the Grand Prix from the very back of the grid.

Carlos Sainz offered some encouragement to Ferrari as he’ll line up third but it could be reigning World Champion Verstappen who has the final say according to Montoya.

The Red Bull driver is fourth on the grid after Nico Hulkenberg’s penalty and Montoya has warned the papaya team-mates to expect a “dive bomb” on the opening lap.

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“I think the Constructors’ Championship is pretty exciting,” the former F1 driver told Vision4Sport.

“Max Verstappen could change that championship pretty quickly. He wants to win it and if he’s going against McLaren, he’s going for it.

“The McLaren needs to get out of the way if they are to win the Constructors’, and I think McLaren, in their mind, knows they just got to run around and bring the cars home.

“With Lando especially, and the McLaren guys in Abu Dhabi, if Max is behind them, he is going to dive bomb in there and if they turn, they’re going to crash.

“But they cannot crash because they need the points, and Max knows that.”

Leclerc’s penalty also means Norris has the advantage in the race to finish runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship as he’s eight points ahead and starting on the opposite end of the grid.

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