Abu Dhabi: Valtteri Bottas snatched his fourth career pole position nipping teammate Lewis Hamilton into second and leaving the Ferrari and Red Bull cars to follow in the next four spots on the grid at the 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix here on Saturday.
With the Mercedes and the Ferraris matching each other during the past one and a half days of official practice, it was Bottas who came up with the smoothest of laps during the third and final qualifying period of the late evening session at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Till that Bottas lap of 1 minute, 36.231 seconds, it was all about three-time Abu Dhabi champion Hamilton with the quickest lap of 1:36.742 that came in the second qualifying period. The 32-year-old British driver improved this further when he went out for the third and final period with a quicker 1:36.403.
But it was the Finn - who had also qualified in pole at the Brazilian Grand Prix earlier this month – who had the last laugh as he sailed through effortlessly with a lap record time of 1:36.231.
“I think this was a good run-up to the whole race. I have enjoyed the car better and better during the build-up and going into the qualifying I just kept everything under control to come up with this last effort at the final race of this season,” Bottas said.
In Brazil, Bottas had started from pole position with Vettel and Raikkonen behind after world champion Hamilton had crashed out during qualifying early to start from the pit lane. Vettel went on to overtake Bottas on the first corner, after which he set the pace through most of the race and win his fifth race of 2017. Bottas ultimately finished in second leaving Raikkonen in third, while Hamilton powered his way into fourth.
“With this result it is a job half done. The other half will have to be done tomorrow, and that is the clear target before me,” Bottas said.
Hamilton who will occupy the spot next to his teammate on the top grid was effusive in his praise. “He [Bottas] had an incredible lap and I am proud of what he got. I am happy that I gave it everything, but he did an exceptional lap,” the British driver admitted.
Vettel, who has matched Hamilton’s three wins in Abu Dhabi, was pleased with the way he had put up a fight with his car. “I am getting better and hopefully we will be fast enough to challenge them [the Ferraris] tomorrow. We will be closer and stronger for sure,” the German said.
After the last five cars had been omitted at the end of the first qualifying period, the competition really opened up in the second with Hamilton laying the marker with a quick 1:36.742 followed by teammate Bottas a further 0.235 seconds adrift with 1:36.977. Ferrari’s Vettel followed gamely and managed a time 0.292 seconds away with 1:37.034, while the second red car with Raikkonen on board came in fourth best with a 1:37.464.
Brazilian Felipe Massa, meanwhile, who will be involved in his final F1 race on Sunday after announcing his retirement following a total of 269 grand prixs, maintained his excellent record of starting in the top-10 at every start made at the Yas Marina Circuit since the first race was held here in 2009.
Provisional Classification at the end of the Qualifying Session:
1. Valtteri Bottas 1:36.231
2. Lewis Hamilton 1:36.403
3. Sebastian Vettel 1:36.777
4. Daniel Ricciardo 1:36.959
5. Kimi Raikkonen 1:36.985
6. Max Verstappen 1:37.328
7. Nico Hulkenberg 1:38.282
8. Sergio Perez 1:38.374
9. Esteban Ocon 1:38.397
10. Felipe Mass 1:38.550
