F1 qualifying LIVE: Max Verstappen takes pole position ahead of Sergio Perez at Abu Dhabi GP
Follow qualifying updates and timings as Max Verstappen battles Mercedes pair George Russell and Lewis Hamilton for pole position at Sunday’s finale
The final race of the 2022 Formula One season is on Sunday and there’s still plenty to be decided despite the title being wrapped up.
Max Verstappen clinched his seventh pole of the season as he beat Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to top of the charts in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.
Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz filled the second row ahead of the Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell across the third row. McLaren’s Lando Norris, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and Norris’s teammate Daniel Ricciardo rounded out the top 10.
The likes of Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Schumacher are set for their final races with their teams - the former is indeed set for his final race altogether after announcing his retirement from F1 earlier this season.
Follow F1 updates with The Independent - qualifying starts at 10:30am (GMT):
Abu Dhabi GP qualifying LIVE
Alonso, Tsunoda, Schumacher, Stroll and Zhou are eliminated in Q2.
Perez fastest there, followed by Leclerc, Sainz, Verstappen, Hamilton, Norris, Russell, Vettel, Ocon and Ricciardo.
Abu Dhabi GP qualifying LIVE
Vettel and Ocon go faster than Alonso, then Schumacher also lifts himself into the top 10.
Zhou doesn’t do enough to get safe, despite an improvement, but Tsunoda certainly does. Ricciardo then goes eighth to put Tsunoda and Schumacher straight back into the bottom five.
At the top end Sainz gets past Hamilton’s time, into the top three.
Abu Dhabi GP qualifying LIVE
Hamilton thinks he’s clocked a good lap and is unimpressed to hear he’s still three-tenths behind Perez.
Everyone other than the Mercedes pair are out now as we head into the final couple of minutes. Time to get out now if you want to record another flying lap.
Abu Dhabi GP qualifying LIVE
Verstappen says he had “no rear grip” over the radio as he goes out on another lap. Hamilton, down in ninth, is about 0.6s behind Perez two-thirds of the way around his own lap.
Can either Mercedes man lift themselves here?
Yes, significantly. Hamilton into second and Russell into fourth.
Four minutes left. Zhou, Schumacher, Stroll, Ricciardo and Tsunoda in danger at the moment.
Abu Dhabi GP qualifying LIVE
Under eight minutes to go in Q2.
Perez and Verstappen now the top two, both Ferraris go quicker than the Mercedes pair and then so does Lando Norris, who gets himself into fourth.
It was Perez who finished ahead of champion Verstappen in FP3 too.
One of the duo are getting on a few drivers’ nerves though; in Q1 George Russell made a complaint and now Vettel does too, over the radio: “Again, Red Bull in the last corner.”
Abu Dhabi GP qualifying LIVE
Russell and Hamilton are both out early in Q2.
The veteran is first and crosses the line in 1:25.772...and Russell follows him, coming in in 0.4s quicker.
The brake “still a problem”, says Lewis over the team radio.
Toto Wolff entirely expressionless as he watches on. With a camera in his face, in fairness.
Abu Dhabi GP qualifying LIVE
Some good runs to point out, Lando taking fifth in Q1 and Zhou in ninth.
Both the Mercedes drivers will be aiming for better as we progress through qualifying, you feel. Can they match Ferrari’s one-lap pace?
Abu Dhabi GP qualifying LIVE
Out in Q1:
Magnussen, Gasly, Bottas, Albon and Latifi.
Zhou and Schumacher produced good final laps to clock decent spots in the top 15.
Abu Dhabi GP qualifying LIVE
Magnussen just about does enough to overhaul Gasly and it’s Tsunoda next...easily surpasses those above him, putting Magnussen back in the bottom five.
Valtteri Bottas has not managed to post a good run at all and he’ll be going out in Q1.
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