By Matt Morlidge
Last Updated: 11/12/21 2:22pm
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Max Verstappen gets the tow from team-mate Sergio Perez through the straights before the Mexican pulls aside before the final sector in Qualifying.
Max Verstappen will start on pole ahead of Lewis Hamilton for the winner-takes-all Abu Dhabi GP title decider after a masterful and unexpected performance in qualifying from the Dutchman and Red Bull.
Trailing Hamilton and Mercedes coming into qualifying and for much of the hour-long shootout, Verstappen was very much the outsider heading into the critical Q3 finale but he and Red Bull combined raw pace and clever teamwork to outpace Hamilton in second by a whopping 0.371s.
Verstappen’s fastest lap, a 1:22.109, was posted at the start of Q3 when utilising the ‘tow’ from team-mate Sergio Perez, as the Mexican sacrificed his own lap to give the title contender a slipstream and straight-line speed advantage.
Hamilton was half a second down on his first lap before improving slightly at the end of Q3, although, highlighting Red Bull’s improvement, Verstappen’s second effort also would have been enough for pole.
More to follow.