Leading the World Championship, second on grid and your rival team-mate is behind you... stay cool and you can reach the

The equation for the 26-year-old, if he is to realise his childhood dream of being crowned world champion, is a simple one.

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Finish on the podium and there is nothing Verstappen or his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who starts third, can do to prevent him being crowned Britain's first F1 world champ since Lewis Hamilton five years ago. Hamilton, of course, knows how it can all go wrong at Yas Marina, having lost the title to Verstappen on the final lap in such controversial circumstances in 2021.

And rest assured the Dutchman will be only too happy to delve into his sizeable bag of tricks to make it title No.5 today.

For Norris, slipping past Verstappen's Red Bull on the opening lap and speeding off over the horizon, where he can stay out of danger, would be the ideal scenario.

But the Brit admitted McLaren would need to pull off a magic trick to deliver a car with the pace to do that.

"We just weren't quick enough," said Norris of his qualifying performance.