Max Verstappen, a two-time world champion, and Sergio Perez, a teammate on Red Bull, were beaming once more on Saturday after securing the top row of the grid for Red Bull at Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen takes pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Less than a week after their “team orders” spat at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Verstappen refused to comply with a directive to let Perez overtake him, the two put on an unified front following a clinical show of speed.
The two-time world champion finished ahead of the Mexican by two tenths after clocking a fastest lap in one minute and 23.824 seconds.
The 25-year-old Verstappen expressed his happiness at having both cars start from the front row.
In addition to winning the race, we also hope to tie Checo for second place in the overall standings. It’s a fantastic beginning for tomorrow.
In third place was Charles Leclerc, ahead of Carlos Sainz of the Ferrari squad, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, and George Russell of Mercedes, who had just won his first race in Brazil the previous weekend.
Verstappen’s achievement earned him his third straight pole position at the Yas Marina Circuit, his seventh of the year, and his 20th of his career ahead of a race in which he will attempt to set a record-extending 15th victory in a single season.
Verstappen easily won the world championship, but the race for second place is still very close.
Leclerc has more victories than Perez, but they are tied on points.
Red Bull has never finished first and second in a championship.
Prior to Esteban Ocon of Alpine, Sebastian Vettel, and Daniel Ricciardo in his final McLaren drive, Lando Norris finished eighth for McLaren.
As was to be expected, Verstappen and Perez’s Red Bulls established the pace ahead of the Ferraris on their first laps before a furious closing flurry in the opening qualifying session.
The quickest remaining driver was Kevin Magnussen, who had finished 15th after being eliminated just one week after taking the inaugural pole for Haas and himself at Interlagos in the pouring rain.
In his final weekend with Alpha Tauri, Pierre Gasly left with him to join Alpine, Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo, Alex Albon, and Nicholas Latifi of Williams.
Verstappen was in an ideal position to create F1 history when Perez beat him by four tenths in Q2 as Fernando Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda of Alpha Tauri, Mick Schumacher of Haas, Lance Stroll of the second Aston Martin, and Zhou Guanyu of Alfa Romeo all fell short.