Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to pole in Abu Dhabi decider

Max Verstappen handled a major blow in his winner takes-all title fight with Lewis Hamilton by holding onto pole position for Formula One’s season-finishing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday.

Lewis Hamilton will line close by on the first line, with Max Verstappen on the faster delicate tires for the beginning and the Briton going for the more solid mediums.

The pair are level on focuses in the standings, with ,Max Verstappen ahead 9-8 on race wins which means he will be champion paying little mind to where he gets done assuming Hamilton neglects to score under any condition.

“I didn’t expect that, but amazing job guys. “That was a fantastic lap from him,” said Hamilton. “We’re in a good position with our tyres for tomorrow and I hope we can have a good race,” said the 24-year-old over the team radio after being told he had secured pole.

The pole was Max Verstappen’s tenth of the 22-race season, more than any other individual, and he was assisted with a fundamental slipstream ‘tow’ down the straights behind his always accommodating Mexican partner Sergio Perez, who qualified fourth.