Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Pole at Verstappen

Clear. Dry. Air + 23С, track + 29 … 27С

Overtaking in Abu Dhabi is not easy even with DRS, qualifying is the key session of the weekend, especially when the stage is the last, the fight for positions in the Constructors Cup is still ongoing, but nothing can be fixed.

In practice on Friday, Verstappen and Bottas were in the lead, on Saturday afternoon Max again led the protocol. In the middle group, the results were again traditionally dense.

One of the key players in the fight for third place in the Constructors’ Cup, Sergio Pérez of Racing Point, was fined for replenishing the elements of the power plant and in any case started the race from the back row, sharing it with Kevin Magnussen , who received a similar penalty. Charles Leclair will lose three starting positions tomorrow due to an incident on the first lap of the Sahir Grand Prix.

Once again, Pirelli brought the softest tires to Abu Dhabi: in the roles of Hard, Medium and Soft, the C3, C4 and C5 compositions were used.

In the first session everyone used Soft. Hamilton went off the track, not only wasting lap time, but also damaging the bottom: he returned to the pits for a check and soon left again.

At the end of the session, Latifi turned around in the last turn, but after a pause, she continued to move.

Hamilton led the protocol with a lap in 1: 35.528. Retired from more fights: Raikkonen, Magnussen, Russell, Fittipaldi and Latifi.

In the second session Both Mercedes drivers, Red Bull Racing, Renault, Ferrari and Carlos Sainz made their first attempt on Medium to start this lineup tomorrow. But Verstappen complained that Medium also lacks to the end of the fast circle: in the third sector, they lose efficiency.

On the second try, only Verstappen and Leclair rode Medium. Hamilton again showed the best time: 1: 35.466; Ocon, Riccardo, Vettel, Giovinazzi and Pérez did not reach the final.

In the end everything went to Soft. On the first attempt Bottas topped the protocol, the four Mercedes and Red Bull Racing drivers splitting by 15 hundredths.

On the second attempt, the fighting turned out to be even more intense. First, Hamilton added, then Bottas was six hundredths ahead of his teammate, and as a result, Verstappen was two hundredths faster.

Max Verstappen won qualifying in Abu Dhabi, taking the first pole of the season and the third of his career, ending a series of six consecutive Mercedes poles at Yas Marina.

Valtteri Bottas will start second, Hamilton and Norris will start from the second row, Albon and Sainz will start from the third.

Daniil Kvyat is ahead of his teammate in his last qualifying in Formula 1, and starts seventh.

Both McLaren drivers qualified above Racing Point – the fight for third place in the constructors’ championship will be very intense tomorrow!

Qualification results