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Abu Dhabi GP: Verstappen beats Hamilton to final pole in heated title fight

  • Darshan Chokhani
    • F1, Abu Dhabi GP

    ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 11: Sparks fly behind Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 11, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202112110215 // Usage for editorial use only //

    Red Bull’s Max Verstappen takes F1 Abu Dhabi GP pole from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton with McLaren’s Lando Norris in third.

    Q1:

    The first part of F1 Abu Dhabi GP qualifying saw Ferrari use the medium tyres with everyone else using the soft compound. After the first runs from the leaders, the gap was just 0.056s between Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

    The Brit had the upperhand with the Dutchman having to go around the second time be close to him. The session was red-flagged after Haas’ Mick Schumacher bumped off the bollard in the final corner which caught McLaren’s Lando Norris.

    But the flag was soon taken in with the session back on as the FIA steward noted the incident between Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel after the former impeded the the German in the final corner of the track.

    Interestingly, Mercedes decided to another quick lap as Hamilton ended up fastest with a 1m22.8455s lap from Bottas (1m23.117s) and Verstappen (1m23.322s). Late quick laps from Aston Martin duo helped them to make it in Q2 as Williams were knocked out.

    It was Nicholas Latifi (1m24.338s) ahead of George Russell (1m24.423s), who noted of problems. Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen (1m24.779s) was 18th after he didn’t get a quick lap towards the end as Haas’ Schumacher (1m24.906s) and Nikita Mazepin (1m25.685s) were 19th and 20th.

    Q2:

    The second part in F1 Abu Dhabi GP qualifying saw majority on the medium tyres as per race strategy with Aston Martin, Alpine and Ferrari opted for the soft tyre. The first run saw Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz on top with a 1m23.174s on the soft tyre.

    He was only 0.011s faster than Hamilton and 0.015s than Verstappen who flat spotted his tyres after a wide moment in Turn 1. There was also a brake problem for AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly on his first run which left him last after the first run.

    The strategy game changed as Red Bull switched to soft tyres and took the fastest lap too as Verstappen ended up on top with a 1m22.800s lap from Perez (1m23.135s) as Hamilton also did an extra lap on the medium to be third with a 1m23.145s.

    The traffic behind had major issues for almost all of the drivers in the midfield as Vettel almost stopped on the track with double-waved yellow in the final sector. Alpine’s Fernando Alonso was knocked out with a 1m23.460s from Gasly (1m24.043s).

    Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll (1m24.066s) was 13th from Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi (1m24.251s) and Vettel (1m24.305s). Speaking to Sky Sports, Christian Horner stated it was 50-50 call on strategy but the lock-up did force their hands to switch to soft.

    Q3:

    The final part of the F1 Abu Dhabi GP qualifying saw Red Bull deploy team tactics where Perez helped Verstappen (1m22.109s) to get some tow which allowed the Dutchman to have provisional pole with a margin of 0.551s from Hamilton (1m22.660s).

    Despite the tow, Perez came back on his second lap to be third with a 1m22.968s as AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda’s fourth-best lap was deleted due to track limits. Replays showed small lock-up from Hamilton as teammate Bottas was then fourth.

    The first lap from Verstappen was enough to take F1 Abu Dhabi GP pole from Hamilton after he ended up with a 1m22.480s lap to be 0.371s aloof. There was no Perez or Bottas behind them as Norris pushed up with a 1m22.931s lap to be third.

    He had Perez behind him with a 1m22.947s lap with Sainz (1m22.992s) in fifth ahead of Bottas (1m23.036s), Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (1m23.122s), Tsunoda (1m23.220s), Ocon (1m23.389s) and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo (1m23.409s) in the Top 10.

    UPDATE: The FIA stewards fined and reprimanded Ocon for his impeding of Vettel but cleared both the German and Ricciardo for similar offence against Gasly and Alonso respectively. The Frenchman was fined €10,000 and it is his second reprimand and first for driving.