Sebastian Vettel had another oops moment to add to his FP1 crash after qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Here is how the final qualifying day of the season unfolded…
The day began with news of more engine woes for Valtteri Bottas but, with starting at the back of the grid anyway, another new power unit is going to have zero effect on his starting grid position.
UPDATE: @ValtteriBottas will take his fifth PU of the season after we suffered a pneumatic leak yesterday.
He will use a new ICE, MGU-H, MGU-K and Turbo for the rest of the race weekend. He will (still) be starting from the back of the grid. #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/rZ8dmI7JBB
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) November 30, 2019
It looked like another session with Mercedes finishing on top as Lewis Hamilton led a Silver Arrows 1-2 in FP3, but Max Verstappen had other ideas late on, setting up an intriguing battle for pole position…
CLASSIFICATION: END OF FP3
Less than a tenth between the top three
Perez bossing the midield
#AbuDhabiGP
#F1 pic.twitter.com/lB36xdXOJt
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 30, 2019
Sebastian Vettel has been in the wars already this weekend, and that continued when he rather embarrassingly spun as he tried to start his first flying lap in Q1.
Sebastian Vettel spinning before he even starts his flying lap really does sum up the last three seasons for Ferrari, huh #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/jfe8LwUilY
— iGP Manager (@iGPManager) November 30, 2019
There was a near miss for Romain Grosjean and Daniil Kvyat in the pit lane.
(insert french swearing noises here) #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/DG7Bndeepi
— iGP Manager (@iGPManager) November 30, 2019
It would be Hamilton who topped the first qualifying session ahead of Alex Albon and Bottas. Down at the bottom Robert Kubica bowed out of his last qualifying with a 21-0 whitewash against his name, courtesy of George Russell.
Kimi Raikkonen, Antonio Giovinazzi and Romain Grosjean joined the Williams pair in elimination.
Charles Leclerc would pop up with the fastest time of Q2.
Kevin Magnussen, Daniil Kvyat, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly and Sergio Perez missed out on the pole position shootout.
ELIMINATED DRIVERS – Q2
11 PER
12 GAS
13 STR
14 KVY
15 MAG#AbuDhabiGP
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 30, 2019
It was Monza all over again, almost, as Leclerc didn’t make it to the line in time to start his second Q2 lap.
But Hamilton did as he set a new track record to take pole for the Abu Dhabi GP ahead of team-mate Bottas. The Finn will of course start last though thanks to his engine penalties.
It’s his 88th pole position in #F1 and his first since the German Grand Prix! It’s his fifth pole at the Yas Marina Circuit and his fifth pole of the 2019 season.
Bottas 2nd, Verstappen 3rd #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/VfTEU7BYtp
— Lights Out ●●●●● (@LightsOutF1Blog) November 30, 2019
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