2016 ABU DHABI GP: HAMILTON ON POLE, NEEDS HELP FOR TITLE

Lewis Hamilton will start tomorrow’s title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole position after beating championship rival Nico Rosberg in qualifying by three tenths of a second. The drivers standings leader will start second ahead of Daniel Ricciardo and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

Ricciardo and Verstappen were the only drivers to progress from Q2 on the Super Soft tyre, with all others using the Ultra Soft rubber. As a result, they will start the race on more durable rubber.

Hamilton's performance was one of the most impressive of a season in which he has now taken 12 poles to Rosberg's eight despite not even being able to compete in qualifying in three races because of reliability problems. It was the 61st pole of his career, four behind his hero Ayrton Senna and seven behind all-time record holder Michael Schumacher.

2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Qualifying

 P.     DRIVER           TEAM        TIME     GAP  
 1. Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes AMG 1:30.755
 2. Nico Rosberg      Mercedes AMG 1:39.058 + 0.303
 3. Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull     1:39.589 + 0.834
 4. Kimi Raikkonen    Ferrari      1:39.604 + 0.849
 5. Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari      1:39.661 + 0.906
 6. Max Verstappen    Red Bull     1:39.818 + 1.063
 7. Nico Hulkenberg   Force India  1:40.501 + 1.746
 8. Sergio Perez      Force India  1:40.519 + 1.764
 9. Fernando Alonso   McLaren      1:41.106 + 2.351
10. Felipe Massa      Williams     1:41.215 + 2.458
   Q2 Fastest time: Lewis Hamilton 1:39.382        
11. Valtteri Bottas   Williams     1:41.084 + 1.702
12. Jenson Button     McLaren      1:41.272 + 1.890
13. Esteban Gutierrez Haas         1:41.480 + 2.098
14. Romain Grosjean   Haas         1:41.564 + 2.182
15. Jolyon Palmer     Renault      1:41.820 + 2.438
16. Pascal Wehrlein   Manor        1:41.995 + 2.615
   Q1 Fastest time: Lewis Hamilton 1:39.487        
17. Daniil Kvyat      Toro Rosso   1:42.003 + 2.516
18. Kevin Magnussen   Renault      1:42.142 + 2.655
19. Felipe Nasr       Sauber       1:42.247 + 2.760
20. Esteban Ocon      Manor        1:42.286 + 2.799
21. Carlos Sainz jr.  Toro Rosso   1:42.393 + 2.906
22. Marcus Ericsson   Sauber       1:42.637 + 3.150
    107% time: 1:46.451

Hope Ricciardo is right...