The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the final round of the 2015 F1 World Championship, with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton looking to end his title winning season with a victory.
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Kimi Raikkonen’s pace was impressive, with his qualifying time just 4/10ths of a sec behind Mr. Hamilton, but Ferrari was left to regret a Key miscalculation with Mr. Vettel.
McLaren are enduring their worst ever season, ninth out of 10 teams and without a win since 2012, while Hamilton has enjoyed another dominant year with 10 wins and his third championship.
When asked about Sunday’s race start, Rosberg told the German newspaper Bild: “My tactic?” But on the basis of this evidence he need not have anxious.
As such, Mercedes claimed their 15th front-row lockout of the season.
Hamilton seemed to have the pace to go fastest of all – he had set the fastest first-sector time on his first lap on the super-soft tyres that will be used in qualifying only to run wide over the kerbs at Turn Six. Vettel will start the race in 16 position. Manor Motorsport is without young American rookie Alexander Rossi for the weekend, but his replacement Roberto Mehri notably qualified over a second quicker than Rossi’s teammate and lone benchmark Will Stevens. Jenson Button was 11th for McLaren. The 2009 world champion, who has scored five more points than Alonso this term, will start from 12th.
Lotus’s Romain Grosjean hit a technical problem and had to cruise back to the pits without changing gear.
Daniil Kvyat was fourth quickest ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Nico Hulkenberg, whose Force India team is celebrating its 150th grand prix in its current guise.
“My last lap felt absolutely fantastic and it’s great to be starting P1 again”, said Rosberg, who added that it was great being faster overall than his teammate and rival for the past few races.
“Before we were always very close and Lewis had that tenth of a second edge, but at the moment it’s me who has the edge”.
“Primarily, I would like to win the race because it’s a great feeling and would give the whole crew a great end to the season and a reason to party”.
Hamilton, still stuck on 49 pole positions as he has been since the Italian Grand Prix in early September, said: “I’ve been struggling with the auto a little all weekend”.
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“We have been working hard to make some changes”.
