Vettel takes dramatic 14th pole

1.929218-2277456454 — Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel racing to the pole position in qualifying at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix takes place today. Image Credit: Abdel-Krim Kallouche/Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: For two days it was the McLarens who were in charge but with one last-gasp lap, Sebastian Vettel proved why he is the ‘King of Yas' as he snatched his 14th pole of the year to match Nigel Mansell's 1992 record.

Red Bull's Vettel, targeting his third successive Abu Dhabi Grand Prix win, delivered the killer punch in the final lap of the top-ten shootout, once again revealing his insatiable appetite for success.

After 2009 world champion Jenson Button had set the pace in first practice, his team-mate and 2008 winner Lewis Hamilton was is a class of his own, dominating the second and third sessions.

Brilliant display

After Button had blitzed through with a fastest lap of 1:38.631, Hamilton came roaring back to outshine his team-mate by just 0.009 and it looked like he had crowned his superb display over the last two days with his second pole of the year.

But even as the packed stands were soaking in another brilliant display by Hamilton, Vettel turned on his magic at the death.

The McLarens were left stunned as Vettel clocked 1:38.481 to outpace Hamilton by 0.141 and extended his awesome form to yet another pole contest.

"Believe in it, baby, believe in it!," screamed Vettel as a crew member said "Good evening Mr Mansell" over the car's radio. "All in all, just enough to jump ahead of Lewis," said Vettel immediately after the session.

"It's a tricky place, especially the last sector. I wasn't happy in practice. I wasn't happy with the car and I wasn't happy with myself. But I always thought there was more in the car.

"It was just a question of finding it."

Meanwhile, Hamilton said: "It's been a good couple of days.

"Sebastian is very quick but the race is tomorrow. It's a big improvement for me from the last race.

"We were quick in qualifying. The car is feeling good. Just at the end, that was as fast as I was able to go on that lap.

"It was not particularly great. That's the way it is."

Mark Webber, Vettel's Red Bull team-mate, will start in fourth followed by the Ferrari pair of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

The Mercedes pair of Nico Rosberg and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher finished seventh and eighth respectively, with the Force India pair of Adrian Sutil and Paul Di Resta taking the next two spots in the top-ten shootout.

With the 24-year-old Vettel back in top gear for today's 55-lap contest, the battle for second place in the drivers' championship will now be a fiercely contested affair between Button (240 points), Alonso (227), Webber (221) and Hamilton (202).

Grid positions

1st row