Verstappen will start ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each eliminated in Q1 and Q2 before the Q3 top-10 shootout.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying results: Verstappen on pole from Perez
What happened in the first quarter of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
Perez set the early pace at 1m24.820s before Verstappen took over in P1 by 0.066s over 1m24.754s.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished third, three tenths off their pace but a tenth clear of team-mate Leclerc.
Falling at the first hurdle, Brazilian GP poleman Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) and the Williams duo of Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Q1 results: Perez fastest Verstappen
What happened in the second quarter of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
Leclerc set the initial pace at 1m25.345s before Sainz edged him out by three tenths.
Verstappen grabbed P1 with 1m24.862s but Perez then climbed to the top with 1m24.419s, more than four tenths ahead of the rest. Hamilton was the best of the rest after the first runs, 0.355s lower, in P2 with a 1m24.774s.
In the final runs, Leclerc took second in 1m24.517s, with Sainz taking third – a tenth behind.
Fernando Alonso (Alpine), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Mick Schumacher (in his last qualifying session for Haas), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) were eliminated at this stage.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Q2 results: Perez fastest over Leclerc
Cla | No. | Driver | Car motor | Time | Delay | Delay % | Towers | kph |
1 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 1’24.419 | 6 | 225.205 | ||
2 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’24.517 | 0.098 | 0.116 | 6 | 224.944 |
3 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Ferrari | 1’24.521 | 0.102 | 0.121 | 6 | 224.933 |
4 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1’24.622 | 0.203 | 0.240 | 6 | 224.664 |
5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | mercedes | 1’24.774 | 0.355 | 0.421 | 9 | 224.262 |
6 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren/Mercedes | 1’24.903 | 0.484 | 0.573 | 6 | 223.921 |
seven | 63 | george russell | mercedes | 1’24.940 | 0.521 | 0.617 | 8 | 223.823 |
8 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin/Mercedes | 1’24.974 | 0.555 | 0.657 | 6 | 223.734 |
9 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine/Renault | 1’25.007 | 0.588 | 0.697 | 6 | 223.647 |
ten | 3 | Daniel Ricardo | McLaren/Mercedes | 1’25.068 | 0.649 | 0.769 | 6 | 223.487 |
11 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine/Renault | 1’25.096 | 0.677 | 0.802 | 6 | 223.413 |
12 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri/Red Bull | 1’25.219 | 0.800 | 0.948 | 6 | 223.091 |
13 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas/Ferrari | 1’25.225 | 0.806 | 0.955 | 6 | 223.075 |
14 | 18 | Spear Stroll | Aston Martin/Mercedes | 1’25.359 | 0.940 | 1.113 | 6 | 222.725 |
15 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo/Ferrari | 1’25.408 | 0.989 | 1.172 | 6 | 222.597 |
What happened in the third quarter of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
On the first runs, Sainz took provisional pole in 1m24.281s, ahead of Perez – who had a big moment at the last corner – and Leclerc. Verstappen then took over the lead with a lap of 1m23.988, almost three tenths ahead of the others.
In the final runs, Verstappen improved to 1m23.824s and was joined in the lead by Perez in 1m24.052s, which was 0.228s slower. Leclerc took P3 with 1m24.092s, beating Sainz who failed to improve on his final lap. Hamilton jumped up to fifth place with 1m24.508s.
George Russell will start sixth, ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Sebastian Vettel (ninth for his last GP with Aston Martin) and Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren, penalized three places on the grid for his clash with Magnussen at Interlagos ).
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Q3 results: Verstappen takes pole
Cla | No. | Driver | Car motor | Time | Delay | Delay % | Towers | kph |
1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1’23.824 | 6 | 226.803 | ||
2 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 1’24.052 | 0.228 | 0.272 | 6 | 226.188 |
3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’24.092 | 0.268 | 0.320 | 6 | 226.080 |
4 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Ferrari | 1’24.242 | 0.418 | 0.499 | 6 | 225.678 |
5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | mercedes | 1’24.508 | 0.684 | 0.816 | 6 | 224.968 |
6 | 63 | george russell | mercedes | 1’24.511 | 0.687 | 0.820 | 6 | 224.960 |
seven | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren/Mercedes | 1’24.769 | 0.945 | 1.127 | 5 | 224.275 |
8 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine/Renault | 1’24.830 | 1.006 | 1,200 | 6 | 224.114 |
9 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin/Mercedes | 1’24.961 | 1.137 | 1.356 | 3 | 223.768 |
ten | 3 | Daniel Ricardo | McLaren/Mercedes | 1’25.045 | 1.221 | 1.457 | 3 | 223.547 |