A GRACEFUL FORMULA
ABU DHABI: Valtteri Bottas outpaced his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to claim pole position with a record-breaking lap in Saturday’s qualifying session for Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 28-year-old Finn clocked a best lap in one minute, 36.231 seconds to outpace the newly-crowned four-time world champion.
It was Bottas’ fourth career pole and the first time he had claimed back-to-back pole positions.
German four-time champion Sebastian Vettel took third place for Ferrari ahead of Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull and his Ferrari team-mate Finn Kimi Raikkonen, with Dutchman Max Verstappen sixth in the second Red Bull.
German Nico Hulkenberg took seventh for Renault ahead of Mexican Sergio Perez and his Force India team-mate Esteban Ocon, with retirement-bound Brazilian Felipe Massa 10th in his final outing for the Williams team.
“Thanks guys,” said Bottas, whose wife is at the circuit, at the end. “You know, family support is always nice!”
“Things were getting better and better in practice and it was all under control. I felt good in the car. I’m really happy. I was so gutted in Brazil to be on pole and to miss out on the win so I have a clear target for tomorrow.” Hamilton did his utmost to grab pole, but said: “I am delighted for Valtteri. He did a great job and deserved it. What a lap. He had an incredible session and congratulations to him.
“I think I was up a bit on Turn One, but then I lost it on turns five and six, but otherwise it’s been an incredible year of qualifying and one I’ve enjoyed.”
ALONSO PUSHED OUT
On another hot day at the Yas Marina Circuit, Bottas and Hamilton dominated in Q1 which concluded with Frenchman Romain Grosjean eliminated.
Rookie New Zealander Brendon Hartley came in down in 20th place in his Toro Rosso.
Hamilton then scorched to another track lap record lap in 1:36.742, two-tenths faster than team-mate Bottas. Apparently satisfied, Mercedes retired to their garage.
Vettel and Raikkonen did the same for Ferrari after securing third and fourth spots to secure passage to the top-ten shootout.
Vettel beat Bottas to the victory in Brazil. While he hoped to be closer on Sunday, the German did not sound overly confident of getting past the two ‘Silver Arrows’.
“Tomorrow with the race pace I think we can be a bit closer but they (Mercedes) have been very strong,” said Vettel, also a four times world champion.
“It should be a fun race, overtaking is not always straightforward but not impossible here so let’s see.”
All bar Ferrari made second runs in the final seconds during which Massa gate-crashed Q3 with a flying final lap that pushed his one-time Ferrari team-mate Fernando Alonso down to 11th.
“It’s a good way to retire, good races, good lap times. I‘m happy that I‘m finished with my head up and competitive,” said Massa.
“I want to have fun tomorrow. I have nothing to lose, risk everything you can. Let’s have fun.”
Out with the Mclaren Honda man went his fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz in his Renault, Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne in the second Mclaren, Dane Kevin Magnussen of Haas and Canadian rookie Lance Stroll in the second Williams.
The final seconds of the session saw a near-accident when Perez slowed on the racing line at the final corner, forcing Hulkenberg to move inside to avoid hitting his car at high speed.
In Q3, it was Bottas who set the pace with a record 1:36.231, a lap that lifted him beyond Hamilton by 0.172 seconds and the two Ferraris.
Both men slid and scurried on their final laps, but were unable to improve their times as the track temperature fell to 29 degrees.
Their earlier laps were enough as Bottas took pole in spite of a slower lap which persuaded him to pit early at the end of the session.
It was the Mercedes team’s fourth consecutive front row lockout at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the team’s 50th in Formula One.
Hamilton will end the season with 72 career poles, an all-time record for the sport, after passing Michael Schumacher’s previous best of 68 at the Italian Grand Prix in September.