By Alan Baldwin
ABU DHABI (Reuters) – Lando Norris led a McLaren front row sweep in qualifying for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday with the team perfectly placed to win their first Formula One constructors’ title since 1998.
The Briton swept to pole position 0.209 seconds clear of Australian teammate Oscar Piastri at the floodlit Yas Marina circuit.
The pair had earlier dominated final practice as well as Friday’s second session.
“We want to win, I want to win. We know what we have to do … tomorrow we will have a good chance,” said Norris, calling it a perfect day after setting a pole lap of one minute 22.595 seconds.
Team boss Zak Brown added: “I won’t sleep well tonight but I’m very excited for tomorrow.”
Ferrari, 21 points behind McLaren, saw their challenge unravel with Carlos Sainz third on the grid but Charles Leclerc set to start 19th after qualifying 14th with an additional 10 place penalty.
The Monegasque had his lap in the second phase deleted for exceeding track limits.
“I think it was already extremely difficult, a mission impossible before the weekend started,” said Sainz of Ferrari’s prospects.
“It was always going to be difficult … but until the chequered flag comes down tomorrow anything is possible.”
Nico Hulkenberg qualified a remarkable fourth fastest for what will be a farewell to Haas, the German moving on to Sauber next year, but was later demoted three places for overtaking two cars in the tunnel of the pitlane exit.
That lifted four times world champion Max Verstappen from fifth to fourth for Red Bull.
Verstappen had been on provisional pole with new tyres, despite a big slide, before the final flying laps with the McLaren drivers second and third on used tyres.
“If I didn’t drop it on the last corner I think I could have fought for second,” he said.
Pierre Gasly will line up fifth for Alpine, George Russell sixth for Mercedes and directly behind Verstappen.
WAR OF WORDS
That could lead to a spicy start, with Verstappen and Russell in a war of words that has gripped the paddock since Thursday.
Fernando Alonso starts eighth for Aston Martin while Valtteri Bottas, in what is likely to be his last F1 race, lines up ninth for Sauber.
The popular Finn has yet to score a point in 23 races this season and a top 10 position on Sunday would be a fitting way to depart.
Sergio Perez, his place also under intense scrutiny due to his poor performance since his contract was extended, completed the top 10 for Red Bull but was again well off the pace.
Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton qualified only 18th, but will start 16th, in his last race for Mercedes before switching to Ferrari. The Briton was unlucky after a broken plastic bollard was wedged under his car.
The item was broken by Haas’s Kevin Magnussen and then collected by Hamilton, on his last chance to beat the cut.
“You couldn’t make it up, you really couldn’t, but it is what it is,” said Hamilton, the most successful driver at the track – as well as in Formula One – with five wins.
“We gave it everything, I gave it everything, the car was in a good place. Every practice session went well, I was ahead of my teammate all weekend but when we got to qualifying I think as a team we didn’t perform in terms of the timing.”
Australian debutant Jack Doohan, son of motorcycle great Mick, replaced Esteban Ocon at Alpine but qualified last. He will start 17th and ahead of both Williams drivers who have penalties.
Alpine are fighting to stay sixth and ahead of Haas, with millions of dollars at stake.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Ken Ferris)
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