Story highlights
Sebastian Vettel claims pole for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
14th time Vettel has topped the time charts during his triumphant season
Red Bull ace equals record held by Britain's Nigel Mansell in 1992
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton second fastest at Yas Marina
Sebastian Vettel claimed his 14th pole of a dominant season in Abu Dhabi Saturday to equal a longstanding Formula One record.
Vettel drew level with Britain’s Nigel Mansell, who headed the grid 14 times during his triumphant title winning season with Williams in 1992.
The 26-year-old German drove his Red Bull to a time of one minute 38.461 seconds on the Yas Marina circuit, pipping McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, who had been fastest in the two earlier qualifying sessions.
Vettel, who has already been crowned double world champion, will be bidding for his 12th victory of the season Sunday, one shy of the all-time record held by Germany’s Michael Schumacher.
“I wasn’t so happy with my first run in Q3, but I was happy with my second,” Vettel told the official F1 media conference.
Hamilton, who will start one place higher on the grid than his teammate Jenson Button, believes McLaren are making strides at the end of the season.
“It’s a big improvement for me from the last race. We were quick in qualifying. The car is feeling good.
“Well done to Sebastian – he did a great lap, but the race is tomorrow and that’s most important day.”
Vettel’s Australian teammate Mark Webber took fourth fastest in the second Red Bull with the Ferraris of two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Brazilian Felipe Massa occupying the third row.
The two Mercedes of Germans Nico Rosberg and seven-time champion Schumacher were seventh and eighth best.
The Force India pair of German Adrian Sutil and British rookie Paul Di Resta rounded out the top 10.
Sunday’s penultimate round will be a day-night-race over 55 laps with the season concluding later this month in Brazil.
