Nico Rosberg struggled against his former world champion Jenson Button, who suggested that Lewis Hamilton complete a below-average qualifying session in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. The Mercedes man was almost four tenths behind his title rival Max Verstappen before the world championship was on Sunday.
Hamilton carried the momentum into the season finale this weekend by winning each of the last three grands prix.
This completely destroyed Verstappen’s lead in the standings, both drivers started tomorrow’s race with 369.5 points.
Qualifying on Saturday was therefore crucial and it was the Dutchman who clinched pole with a breathtaking lap.
Subsequently, Rosberg, who himself had an angry rivalry with former teammate Hamilton, had tough words for Button regarding his hot lap.
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Lando Norris and Sergio Perez form the second row, while Bottas will start in sixth, giving Red Bull and their title prospects a big boost.
While Mercedes has a healthy lead on the constructors front, Verstappen could take victory in the drivers’ championship and he will benefit from having his team-mates close by.
However, Hamilton may have to fight alone due to Bottas’ poor starting position.
Despite Verstappen’s obvious advantage ahead of Sunday, he may not have made it on his own due to a qualifying mishap.
After a severe lockup, he developed a flat tire which forced Red Bull to change strategy.
Verstappen set his fastest lap in Q2 on soft compound tires, which means he will start the race on the same set, with most of the others choosing Mediums.
Whether this will play a role in Sunday’s showdown remains to be seen, but with stakes this high it is sure to be a highly competitive battle.
At the age of 24, Verstappen was chasing his first world championship title, while Hamilton wanted to make history with eighth place, which would give him a lead over Michael Schumacher at the top.
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