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Max Verstappen clinched the final pole position of 2021 in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It was the Dutchman's 10th pole of the season and 13th of his career. Reigning champion Lewis Hamilton qualified second and was followed by Lando Norris in third.
The Red Bull Racing driver's lap was clocked at 1 minute 22.109 seconds, 0.371 seconds quicker than Hamilton and 0.882 seconds up on Norris.
Nailing a perfect lap in his first attempt itself, Verstappen was initially half a second quicker than Hamilton, claiming provisional pole. The Briton could only manage to improve by around two tenths on his final attempt, which was not enough to get him anywhere close to his title rival's effort.
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Norris denied Red Bull Racing the good fortune of having their other driver Sergio Perez start in third. Although the McLaren youngster was way off Verstappen and Hamilton's pace, he outdid both their respective wingmen, Sergio Perez (fourth) and Valtteri Bottas (sixth). Both struggled to improve on their laptimes due to traffic.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz clinched fifth place on the grid, ahead of Bottas, who finds himself in a Ferrari sandwich, with Charles Leclerc in seventh.
Alpha Tauri rookie Yuki Tsunoda qualified eighth, Alpine F1's Esteban Ocon was ninth while McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo rounded out the top 10 starters for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Red Bull and Mercedes drivers to start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on different tire strategies.
Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will be starting the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on soft tires, which will aid in an easy getaway for both. Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas will start on the medium tire compounds, which could place them at a disadvantage.
With the final showdown ready to get underway tomorrow and an intense season coming to an end, the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is expected to be one of the most exciting in the history of the sport. After 2016, it is only the second championship battle in the V6 era to be decided in the last race.
