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The Dutch driver edged out Valterri Bottas in second place and Finnish Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, who is racing for the first time since winning the championship after contracting coronavirus, in third place for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen poses for a photo with the Pole Position trophy after qualifying session on the eve of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit in the Emirati city of Abu Dhabi on December 12, 2020. Image: AFP
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen achieved his first pole position of the season for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday.
The Dutch driver edged out Valterri Bottas in second place and Finnish Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, who is racing for the first time since winning the championship after contracting coronavirus, in third place for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
He secured his first pole since the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix and the third of his career after posting his best lap in one minute and 35.246 seconds to beat Bottas de Mercedes by 0.025 seconds.
The top three were separated by just 0.086 seconds, but it was a disappointment for Mercedes, who lost pole for the second time this year. Lance Stroll of the Mercedes-powered Racing Point team claimed the other.
Lando Norris, equaling his previous best, was fourth for McLaren ahead of Alex Albon in the second Red Bull and Carlos Sainz in the second McLaren.
Having said Thursday that he hoped to claim ‘his seat’ for third place again, Verstappen was delighted.
“I’m very happy with that. It was a tough qualifying, but luckily everything went well for me on that last lap,” he said.
“It’s a long season for everyone with many races in a row, so it was good for the whole team.
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