Max Verstappen cemented his spot atop the grid once again, snagging pole position for the season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The young Dutchman outdueled Charles Leclerc, finishing 0.139 seconds ahead in qualifying under the Yas Marina Circuit's enchanting floodlights. Red Bull teammate Oscar Piastri followed closely in third, rounding out the top three.
Nico Hülkenberg made a commendable performance in the Haas, placing eighth. Meanwhile, the renowned record-breaking champion, Lewis Hamilton, struggled with his Mercedes, failing to qualify in the top ten and standing a chance of remaining winless for the second consecutive year.
For Verstappen, this is his 12th pole position of the season and the 32nd of his impressive career. The dominant force of the year has positioned himself strategically for a triumphant victory on Sunday, aiming to extend his reign on the track. At 46 career victories, Verstappen falls short of Sebastian Vettel's third-place record of 53, but with ambition burning brightly, he intends to serve Vettel a well-deserved defeat in the all-time leaderboard, climbing to the coveted third position with 54 victories.
Max Verstappen has shown dominance at the Yas Marina Circuit, securing the best grid position in Abu Dhabi for the past four consecutive years, and now he sets his sights on breaking Vettel's record.
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Enrichment Data:
To surpass Sebastian Vettel's third-place record in Formula 1's all-time leaderboard for career victories, Max Verstappen will need to secure 8 more victories. Currently, Michael Schumacher holds the most victories with 91, followed by Lewis Hamilton with 103. Sebastian Vettel has 53, putting him in third place. With 46 victories in his career, Verstappen stands to gain more championship title glory by surpassing Vettel's standing.
