Live: F1 Abu Dhabi GP updates - FP3 & Qualifying | Live text

By: Jake Boxall-Legge, Stephen Lickorish, Haydn Cobb

Summary

Verstappen grabs pole for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, comfortably beating title rival Hamilton
Hamilton is over three tenths slower than Verstappen, who doesn't need his final lap
Bottas has a nightmare in second Mercedes down in sixth as Norris is third
Out in Q2: Alonso, Gasly, Stroll, Giovinazzi, Vettel
Out in Q1: Latifi, Russell, Raikkonen, Schumacher, Mazepin

Leaderboard

Verstappen, Red Bull
Hamilton, Mercedes
Norris, McLaren
Perez, Red Bull
Sainz, Ferrari
Bottas, Mercedes
Leclerc, Ferrari
Tsunoda, AlphaTauri
Ocon, Alpine
Ricciardo, McLaren

Status: Stopped

17:26 So, a Verstappen and Hamilton front row for the all or nothing F1 title showdown. Who'd have thought? We can't stress this enough, tomorrow's race is not one to miss. The race starts at 1pm GMT (5pm local time). Until then, it is goodbye for today. Stay safe.

17:21

Need a recap on what just happened? Look no further:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/abu-dhabi-f1-gp-verstappen-beats-hamilton-pole-season-finale/6874292/

17:18

17:17 Verstappen signs the customary mini Pirelli tyre award for pole position, his 10th of the season. How cruical could pole be for the race?

17:15

Norris on starting behind the title fighters: "I am a bit nervous because I want to stay where I am and watch everything unfold over the first few laps or the whole race but I also don't want to get involved too much as it could cause controversy. I don't know whether to go for the move, not go for the move, you tell me?"

17:14 Norris, to arguably the biggest cheers of the day: "It came in Q3 run one and I made some improvements on mistakes and I did a clean lap in the end. I went for pole but it didn't work out! It was a nice lap and P3 was a bit of a surprise."

17:12 Hamilton on starting on mediums against Verstappen on softs: "We are in a good position I would like to think with our tyres for tomorrow. I hope that we can have a good race."

17:11 Hamilton on second place: "Max did a great lap today, we just couldn't compete with that lap. We've got a great crowd here, regardless of the few boos. We just couldn't answer that lap, it was a fantastic lap from him."

17:09 Verstappen on his pole: "It is an amazing feeling, we definitely improved the car again for qualifying as before it was on and off. It was difficult especially with their [Mercedes] form."

17:08 Verstappen, naturally, is buzzing with his 10th pole of the season and second pole at the Yas Marina circuit. He hops out of the car and looks ready for the fight tomorrow.

17:06 Verstappen's first Q3 lap was enough for pole position and in the end he takes top spot by a sizeable 0.371s. Norris takes third ahead of Perez, then it is Sainz while Bottas is down in sixth.

17:03 Norris pops up to third place for McLaren! But it is Verstappen on pole for the F1 title decider!

17:03 ...Hamilton puts in a 1m22.480s and does not take pole position! Rest of the laps coming in.

17:02 ...and still a couple of tenths down in second two...

17:02 Hamilton is fractionally down on the pole time in sector 1...

17:01 Hamilton leads the train out ahead of Bottas so he has clear air but no slipstream.

16:59 Right, all 10 cars back in the pits ahead of the final Q3 runs. All or nothing time.

16:58 Strong showing from Ferrari again with Sainz fifth and Leclerc sixth, a tenth or so ahead of Norris.

16:57

Perez completes his lap after slipstreaming Verstappen to go third ahead of Bottas. Tsunoda was briefly third but he lost his lap for track limits at Turn 16.

16:55 Yes it does! Hamilton goes second with a 1m22.660s. That is a 0.551s gap between the two title contenders.

16:54 Perez does indeed pull aside after giving Verstappen the slipstream behind him. The Dutch driver puts in a 1m22.109s, can that get him provisional pole?

16:54 First Q3 laps coming up, time for some big laps.

16:53 "Let Max do his thing, let him catch us," Perez is told over Red Bull team radio. So it looks like Verstappen will get a team-mate tow.

16:51 But enough on that for now, as it is Q3 time. Who is your money on for pole position?

16:50 The Gasly vs Vettel incident and the Ricciardo vs Alonso incident will both be investigated after qualifying, FIA race control confirms.

16:49 It was the mess at the back of the Q2 train that caused the issues. Vettel literally stopped on track to make space, while it looked like Ricciardo and Alonso appeared to make very minor contact tussling for the same bit of track.

16:47 Another incident, this time involving Ricciardo and Alonso, has been noted by race control. I hope Michael Masi has a thick notebook.

16:46 Ricciardo squeezes into Q3 by 0.012s, that was the gap between him and Alonso in 11th. Also out in Q2: P12 Gasly, P13 Stroll, P14 Giovinazzi, P15 Vettel.

16:44 Verstappen will also start the race on the soft tyres as he goes quickest with a 1m22.800s. Both Mercedes will start the race on the mediums, both Red Bulls will start the race on the softs.

16:43 Perez on the softs goes quickest with a 1m23.135s - he'll be through to Q3 and start the race on those tyres.

16:43 Hamilton, still on mediums, improves to reclaim top spot with a 1m23.145s. The final laps of Q2 are underway.

16:42 An impromptu race for track position has broken out between nine or 10 cars ahead of their final Q2 laps.

16:39 Most drivers are back in the pits ahead of the final Q2 runs. Perez is right on the edge of the Q3 spots in 10th, ahead of Ricciardo, Stroll, Giovinazzi, Vettel and Gasly.

16:37 Vettel must be a magnet for trouble this afternoon as an incident between him and Gasly at Turn 16 to Turn 1 (the start/finish straight) has been noted by race control.

16:36 Verstappen locked up his front-left tyre which is why he ran wide at Turn 1. That could be a worry as these are the tyres he starts the race on, unless he goes again, and they are his only fresh set of mediums left.

16:35 Lots of drivers going wide at Turn 1 - Tsunoda, Vettel and Verstappen those picked up on it - as Sainz goes quickest on his softs by 0.011s.

16:33 Both Ferraris, Alpines and McLaren's Ricciardo start their first Q2 runs and all are on the softs.

16:32 Hamilton sets the standard with a 1m23.185s, just 0.004s ahead of Verstappen. Bottas is third ahead of Tsunoda, Norris and Perez.

16:31 First timed laps coming up in Q2 and for the frontrunners it is all about quick and clean laps as these are the tyres they will start the race on - assuming they progress into Q3, of course.

16:30 The yellow medium tyres are almost everywhere you look in truth, all cars on the track have them apart from the Aston Martin pair of Vettel and Stroll.