Verstappen begins to deliver on his promise: he takes the last ‘pole’ and “Checo” Pérez will start ahead of Leclerc

The Dutch Max Verstappen (Red Bull) took the last pole position of the season, that of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the twenty-second and last of the Formula 1 World Championship, which takes place on the Yas Marina circuit, where the Mexican Sergio ‘ Checo’ Pérez (Red Bull) will start second in this Sunday’s race, ahead of the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).

The two-time world champion shattered the weekend’s records being the only one able to get under 1:24 (1:23.824).

Fourth for the Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and his compatriot Fernando Alonso (Alpine) eliminated in Q2 with the eleventh time, while, in the fight for second place, ‘Checo’ Pérez, who was following Verstappen’s slipstream, gave him he will start second, ahead of Leclerc (Ferrari), third.

Mercedes, who are battling Ferrari for second place among the manufacturers, were further behind than expectedwith seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton fifth and compatriot George Russell, new winner in Brazil, sixth.

In the fight for fourth place in the constructors’ standings, between Alpine and McLaren, the British Lando Norris (McLaren) managed to finish first in the “other” championship, seventh, ahead of the French Esteban Ocon (Alpine).

In his final weekend in Formula 1, German Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) finished ninth, and will share the grid row with Australian Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren), who bids farewell to the team and finalizes his move to Red Bull as third driver.

Also in his last qualifying with his current team, Alpine, Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Alpine) missed Q3 by 28 thousandths of a second. The two-time world champion had already come close to elimination in Q1, but then he avoided it by a tenth and with the fifteenth fastest time of the session.

In Q2, the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri), the German Mick Schumacher (Haas), the Canadian Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and the Chinese Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) were also eliminated.

Dane Kevin Magnussen (Haas), who had taken pole for the sprint race at the São Paulo GP the previous weekend, was also unable to enter that round.

Along with Magnussen, Frenchman Pierre Gasly was excluded from Q2 in his farewell to Alpha Tauri, Finn Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Thai Alex Albon (Williams) and his teammate Nicholas Latifi, who lost his place to next season.

With information from EFE

GL