ABU DHABI — The final qualifying session of the Formula 1 season at the Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday afternoon provided an opportunity for this year’s champion Max Verstappen to claim one last pole position.
Verstappen got the better of his Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez, setting a fast lap of 1:23.824 while Perez finished .268 seconds behind. As a result, Verstappen will start from pole in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.
“It couldn’t have been better today, the tow worked out well as we managed to lock out the front row. We went out there and did our thing,” Verstappen said. “We made a few mistakes in Brazil I guess but we learn from that and we are back where we should be.”
The Ferrari teammates, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, finished third and fourth in qualifying. Leclerc will battle Perez for second in the championship, as the drivers are tied at 290 points entering the season finale.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five.
It was the final qualifying session for Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel, who announced that he will retire from the Formula 1 circuit following this season. Vettel qualified ninth.