Two-time world champion Max Verstappen and his Crimson Bull team-mate Sergio Perez had been all smiles once more on Saturday after locking out the entrance row of the grid for Crimson Bull at Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Lower than per week after their ‘crew orders’ bust-up on the Brazilian Grand Prix, the place Verstappen refused to obey an instruction to permit Perez to move him, the 2 placed on a united entrance after a scientific show of pace. The 2-time world champion clocked a greatest lap in a single minute and 23.824 seconds to complete two-tenths away from the Mexican.
“I am very completely satisfied that each automobiles are on the entrance row,” stated the 25-year-old Verstappen.
“We wish to win the race, however we additionally wish to end second with Checo within the championship. It is an amazing begin for tomorrow.”
Charles Leclerc was third forward of Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz and the 2 Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who claimed his maiden victory final weekend in Brazil.
Verstappen’s success introduced him his third consecutive pole on the Yas Marina Circuit, his seventh of the season and twentieth of his profession forward of a race wherein he bids for a record-extending fifteenth win in a single season.
Whereas Verstappen waltzed away with the world title the scrap for the runners-up spot goes all the way down to the wire.
Perez and Leclerc are stage on factors, however Leclerc leads on wins.
Crimson Bull have by no means loved a 1-2 end within the championship.
‘On the identical web page’
“Max did an amazing job for me. We labored nicely as a crew on that last run,” stated Perez.
The pair’s mutual trade of compliments supplied a distinction to the temper at Crimson Bull earlier within the week after scathing remarks by each had created a discordant temper.
“We made some errors in Brazil, however perceive it now and we’re all on the identical web page now,” commented Verstappen.
“We’re in a greater and happier place than in Brazil.” added Perez, six days on from declaring that Verstappen had “confirmed who he actually is” by rejecting crew orders.
Leclerc, who wound up third on the grid forward of Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz, made no excuses.
“I locked up in Turns Six and Seven,” he stated. “However to be trustworthy, it is the place we deserve at this time. The Crimson Bulls had been stronger, however we’re nonetheless in fairly good positions for tomorrow – it may be shut with Checo for positive.”
Mercedes crew chief Toto Wolff was succinct in his abstract of their emotions after qualifying fifth and sixth with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
“I’ve simply heard that at this time is ‘world bathroom day’,” he stated. “And I believe that is one for placing in the bathroom. We did not get the job completed.”
Retirement-bound four-time champion Sebastian Vettel claimed ninth on the grid for Sunday’s race, his final in Method One, with Aston Martin.
“I am nonetheless within the zone now, however I am positive will probably be an enormous day tomorrow,” Vettel stated.
Lando Norris was seventh for McLaren forward of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Vettel, with Daniel Ricciardo tenth on his final drive for McLaren.
A lot as anticipated, following their pace in last follow, the Crimson Bulls of Verstappen and Perez set the tempo forward of the Ferraris on their first runs earlier than a frantic last flurry within the first qualifying session.
That left Kevin Magnussen because the quickest of the remaining, eradicated in fifteenth place only a week after claiming his and Haas’s maiden pole within the rain at Interlagos.
Out with him went Pierre Gasly in his final weekend with Alpha Tauri earlier than becoming a member of Alpine, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and the Williams pair of Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi.
Within the Q2 part Perez outpaced Verstappen by four-tenths as out went Fernando Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda of Alpha Tauri, Haas’s Mick Schumacher, Lance Stroll within the second Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu, leaving Verstappen completely positioned to make F1 historical past.
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