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Here you can find the results of qualifying and the starting grid for the Abu Dhabi GP.
Mercedes has always been front row in Abu Dhabi since the start of the hybrid era in 2014. With the first Red Bull Pole of the season, Max Verstappen brings this series to an end! The Dutchman will start from scratch this Sunday for the third time in his career.
The Dutchman is the fourth driver to claim pole position this season following ten qualifying wins for Hamilton, five for Bottas and one for Stroll at Racing Point in Turkey.
“Now with a different omen”
Verstappen is happy after his pole coup in the last GP weekend: “I always have the same goal, but on Sunday I will start the race with a different omen. Now I start from the beginning! “
His teammate Alex Albon, defeated by Verstappen for the 17th time in the 17th standings, is fighting for his last chance. If the Thai in the third row does not show a good race, he leaves. Before the last race he is already 96 points behind the Dutchman.
Hamilton seeks balance
Lewis Hamilton is in the second row of the grid after his 10-day break at Corona on Sunday because Bottas is faster. However, it is Hamilton who congratulates the author of the pole in the qualifying interview.
Hamilton also: “I had to find my rhythm for two days, and to do so I always had to correct the balance of the car. But I’m ready for the last fight! “
Leclerc starts against Vettel despite penalty
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (23) will also drop by three places. Monegasse receives the receipt for its initial collision with Pérez here in Abu Dhabi. After his ninth place in qualifying, he starts in the sixth row. In front of his teammate Vettel and Alfa-Saubers Giovinazzi.
Sebastian Vettel does not re-enter the qualifying final in his last outing for Ferrari. The four-time world champion (2010-2013) fails for the 13th consecutive time in Q2.
Giovinazzi beats Raikkonen twice
It was 8: 8 in the qualifying duel for the Hinwil racing team against Abu Dhabi. And this is where Antonio Giovinazzi comes under pressure because his first time will be canceled in Q1. The Italian strays too far into Turn 20. But he keeps his nerves, distancing Raikkonen by half a second on his last attempt, taking his place in Q2. With that he wins the internal duel against the 2007 world champion (in a Ferrari)!
Another Giovinazzi time will be canceled in Q2. He finished the classification in 14th place.
The climax of the season is far off for Alfa-Sauber. That was at Imola in early November: Raikkonen racked up two points in ninth place, Giovinazzi one just behind him. Alfa-Sauber scored 57 points last season, now the team is at 8. But ahead of Haas-Ferrari (3) and Williams (0). Quality does not indicate that anything will change in this order.
Team Battle for 3rd Place
Pérez’s winning team, Racing Point (since 2021 Aston Martin with Stroll / Vettel) is third behind Mercedes (540 points) and Red Bull-Honda (282) with 194 points ahead of the last GP. Behind the pink cars, however, are McLaren-Renault (10 points behind) and Renault (22 points behind).
Racing-Point is starting to shake? Pérez starts from the last row (see next section), walks from the 4th row after the 8th place of classification. For example, Lando Norris from the McLaren chasing team has a better chance of taking first place – the Brit starts from the second row along with Hamilton!
By the way: Without the “Copygate” penalty, Racing-Point would have 15 more points. The team has been dragging this penalty since late summer because they apparently copied almost every part of the 2019 Mercedes.
Premier Winner Relocated
Sergio Pérez (30) celebrated his sensational victory in Bahrain a week ago at Racing Point. Qualifying in Abu Dhabi, on the other hand, is of little importance to him. Because he and farewell driver Kevin Magnussen (28) in the Haas Ferrari have to start from the back row. That is why the Mexican leaves early in the second quarter.
Pérez needs the fourth engine here. To do this, the turbocharger and the MGU-H and MGU-K electronics must be replaced. Magnussen receives the penalty for the third battery and the third control unit.
Is that a good omen for Pérez? In his first GP 190 victory, the outgoing Racing Point driver was also last in the meantime and struggled to get to the top. Racing Point team boss Otmar Szafenauer said during the third practice session: “Fortunately, we have known for a week that Pérez can also win from last place. But these races don’t happen that often! “
Fittipaldi’s famous grandfather’s birthday
This Saturday is not just a great day for Haas driver Pietro Fittipaldi (24), who will replace the injured Romain Grosjean. While Pietro Fittipaldi finishes his second Formula 1 qualifying in 19th place and at least leaves Williams driver Nicholas Latifi behind (Latifi turned on his last lap), his famous grandfather Emerson Fittipaldi is celebrating his 74th birthday.
74? There was something. Emerson Fittipaldi was Formula 1 world champion in 1972 and 1974.
So it goes
With the 17th and last GP of the season on Sunday. The start is at 2.10 pm (CET). Follow the race as usual on the BLICK ticker and live stream.
The fastest strategy: 18 rounds medium (yellow), then 37 rounds hard (white)
Verstappen, Bottas, Hamilton and Sainz start from the top 10 on Medium.
The second fastest strategy: 14 soft rounds (red), then 41 hard rounds (white)
Only the third fastest strategy: Two stops.
