Abu Dhabi lit up by dazzling Hamilton pole

Published on Saturday 31 October 2009 20:11

MCLAREN'S Lewis Hamilton left his rivals reeling with pole position for the floodlit first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix today.

The outgoing world champion grabbed the 17th pole of his 52-race Formula 1 career to push Red Bull's German Sebastian Vettel into second place at the glittering new Yas Marina circuit that hosts Sunday's season-ender. The 24-year-old Briton was nearly 0.7 seconds quicker than Vettel in qualifying and, despite unknown fuel loads, should run away with the sport's first day-to-night race.

While both titles have been decided already in favour of compatriot Jenson Button and Brawn GP, Hamilton's McLaren team are only a point ahead of Ferrari in third place in the constructors' standings with significant prize money at stake.

Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber, winner in Brazil, starts in third place with Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello alongside for Brawn.

Button, who clinched the drivers' championship in Brazil with a race to spare, qualified fifth for Brawn.

Neither Ferrari made it to the final session of qualifying, with 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen pegged back in 11th place on the starting grid for his last race with the Italian team.

Italian stand-in Giancarlo Fisichella, with injured Brazilian Felipe Massa looking on, qualified last for what will also be his last F1 appearance before he becomes Ferrari's test driver. Renault's double world champion Fernando Alonso, who replaces Raikkonen at Ferrari, also had a demoralising afternoon and qualified 16th. McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen, who had been quickest in Friday free practice, was 13th after suffering a gearbox problem.