Mercedes on POLE for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – but it’s NOT Lewis Hamilton

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the final F1 race of 2017, and although Lewis Hamilton is crowned driver champion he’s overshadowed by Bottass’ pole in Abu Dhabi.

It’s always a bit flat to get to the end of the F1 season with both drivers and constructors titles long sewn-up.

But the penultimate race of the season in Brazil two weeks ago was brought to life as Hamilton had to fight from a pit lane start to end in fourth whilst, with Hamilton out of the frame with any real chance of winning, Vettel took the win for Ferrari.

But in Abu Dhabi it was Hamilton’s team mate, Valtteri Bottas who usurped both Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari of Vettel to take pole, with Hamilton in second and  Vettel and Raikkonen filling row two.

Clearly Vettel is hoping to end the season on a high with back to back wins at Brazil and here in Abu Dhabi, but now both he and Hamilton will have to get past Bottas to make that happen. But, certainly in qualifying, the Ferraris don’t seem able to match the Mercedes on the Yas Marina track.

Behind the top four it’s Kimmi Raikkonen in the Ferrari in fifth alongside Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in sixth, Hulkenberg’s Renault and Perez in the Force India on row four and Ocon and Massa – in his last Grand Prix – in ninth and 10th.

Alonso’s McLaren was pushed out of the top ten on the last knockings of Q2, so he’ll start in 11th with team mate Vandoorne in 13th, as another pretty miserable season draws to a close for McLaren.

But despite the titles all sorted, there is still something to play for for the lower teams, with Renault, Toro Rosso and Haas all able to finish in sixth place in the constructors race – putting more than a bob or two in the kitty in the process for the victor.