Abu Dhabi: Mark Webber grabbed the 13th pole position of his career on Saturday when he clocked the fastest lap in a tense qualifying session as Red Bull swept the front row of the grid for Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 37-year-old, who retires from Formula One at the end of the season, recorded 1min 39.957 sec to edge out newly-crowned quadruple world champion team mate Sebastian Vettel.
Webber, who will start from the front of the grid for only the second time this season, equalled the Australian record of 13 poles set by Alan Jones, who was celebrating his 67th birthday on Saturday.
In a thrilling finale to an intriguing day, the two Red Bull men crossed the line after the chequered flag to clock their best laps, but battling Lewis Hamilton failed to do the same as he spun his Mercedes in the final part of his lap.
“Fantastic guys, thank you for a fantastic job,” said Webber on the Red Bull team radio.
Hamilton ended up fourth and will start alongside his Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg, who was third.
“Something broke at the rear of the car,” said a disappointed Hamilton.
Ferrari-bound Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus was fifth ahead of Nico Hulkenberg of Sauber with Romain Grosjean seventh in the second Lotus.
For Raikkonen it was a satisfying riposte that demonstrated he retains the upper hand in a team riven by controversy following his threat to boycott the last two races this year because he has not been paid.
Felipe Massa, who is leaving Ferrari to make room for the Finn, was eighth fastest – and outpaced his team mate Fernando Alonso for the eighth time this year – ahead of Sergio Perez of McLaren and 10th-placed Daniel Ricciardo of Toro Rosso, who will drive for Red Bull next year. (AFP)
