Yas Marina Qualifying: Rosberg thumps Hamilton

Nico Rosberg scored his sixth successive pole position as he powered around the glittering Yas Marina Circuit to claim top spot on the grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as Mercedes dominated qualifying once again.

Rosberg's impressive form showed no signs of subsiding and once again he out shone his F1 world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton who gave it his best shot with an impressive final lap to nip on to the top spot of the timing screens, albeit briefly.

Soon after, Rosberg's was even better - astounding in fact - as he stopped the clocks at 1:40.237 which was over three tenths better than Hamilton. The latter sitting in his car, in parc ferme, shaking his head in disbelief.

So confident was the German he had nailed it, on his final flying lap, that he punched the air as he crossed the line, clear in the knowledge he had bagged it with a mega-lap without needing to be told.

Rosberg said afterwards, "Before it was close in the other direction and now it's close in this direction. I am quicker at the moment and I am pleased about that and happy to be on pole again."

"Primarily, I would like to win the race because it is a great feeling and would give the whole crew a great end to the season and a reason to party. Of course, what we learn this year helps going into next year," added the Rosberg.

Hamilton summed up his session, "I've been struggling with the car a little all weekend. We've been working hard to make some changes but Nico was just quick today and did a really good job in Q3."

Kimi Raikkonen was third quickest, a result that somewhat softened the blow for Ferrari who earlier had Sebastian Vettel drop out in Q1 when he lost power on what was to be his final hot lap of the session.

Raikkonen said of his qualifying, "The car has been handling pretty well all weekend. The laps have not been ideal, the first run was OK, but I knew there was room to improve. It was still a bit off what the other guys can do."

The opening segment began with both Mercedes driver taking to the circuit on option tyres. Hamilton and Rosberg immediately vaulted to the top of the order, with the champion elect putting in a lap of 1:40.974 that remained as the segment’s best, 0.137 ahead of Rosberg.

Perez finished the session third ahead of team-mate Nico Hulkenberg and Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo but as the session came to an end there was drama in the drop zone.

Fernando Alonso was on the cusp in P15 as the seconds ticked away but on his final flying lap he sustained a puncture and was forced back to the pits.

That gave team-mate Jenson Button an opportunity to claim a Q2 spot and the Briton seized it with both hand. He put in a superb lap of 1:42.570 to claim an eventual ninth in the segment.

Also preparing for a final attack was Ferrari’s Vettel, who was down in 11th but with times improving all around he required a final run.

However, midway through his lap he lost power in the second sector and as a result he plummeted to P16 in the final order and was eliminated in Q1 for the first time since this year’s Canadian Grand Prix when a power unit sidelined him.

With Vettel in P16 ahead of the unfortunate Alonso, the three other drivers eliminated, in order, were Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson and Manor’s Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi.

There were problems for other at the start of Q2. Lotus’ Romain Grosjean, who had finished Q1 in P10 was told to bring the car back to the garage. He managed to get back out for a last-ditch flying lap but as he made his way through his out lap he lost all power and was forced to pull over. He qualified in 15th place.

Joining Grosjean In the drop zone as the session came to an end were Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen, Button, Lotus’ Pastor Maldonado and Sauber’s Felipe Nasr.

Verstappen was chasing down 10th place team-mate Sainz but the Spaniard was not for dislodging. He improved in the final corners of his final flyer and beat Verstappen to Q3 by just four hundredths of a second.

It also handed Sainz the upper hand in the tight qualifying battle between the two, with the Spaniard ending the season 10-9 up against his rival. Button was 12th ahead of Maldonado and Nasr.

At the top, Hamilton was again quickest, his time of 1:40.758 was two tenths clear of Rosberg in second. Perez was again third, this time ahead of Raikkonen, with Daniel Ricciardo fifth.

Perez set the first time of Q3 with a lap of 1:41.184s but he was quickly dislodged by the Mercedes and it was Rosberg who again seized the advantage, with the German setting a time of 1:40.738, 0.278 ahead of Hamilton.

Perez was an excellent third, 0.446 down on Rosberg after the first flying lap. Raikkonen was fourth ahead of Ricciardo, Williams’ Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa, Hulkenberg, Red Bull Racing’s Kvyat and Sainz, who did not set a time.

On the final flying lap it looked like Hamilton had found enough pace to claim his first pole position since the Italian Grand Prix as he set a time of 1:40.614 to marginally better his team-mate’s opener. Rosberg, though, was still on track and flying.

The German made significant gains through his third sector and crossed the line almost four tenths clear of Hamilton to take his sixth pole position in a row and his seventh of the season.

Perez’s hopes of taking his first top three place in qualifying were dashed in the final seconds as he was outpaced by Raikkonen, while Ricciardo was fifth ahead of Bottas.

Hulkenberg qualified in seventh position ahead of Massa and the final row of the top 10 is set to be filled by Kvyat and Sainz.

[highlight ]Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit - Qualifying Result[/highlight]

Note - Stevens Drops 5 Grid Places For Unscheduled Use Of New Control Electronics Unit.