Nico Rosberg has pole position for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Now he just needs someone to get in the way of title rival Lewis Hamilton.
The Formula One world championship will go to one of the two Mercedes rivals on Sunday, and Rosberg put himself in a competitive position by edging a nervy-looking Hamilton in Saturday's qualifying to secure a third straight pole and fourth in the past five races.
Hamilton, however, still holds the advantage.
He has a 17-point lead and only needs to finish second to guarantee a second F1 title. But with double points on offer - 50 points for the winner - Rosberg can clinch his first title if he wins and Hamilton crosses the line in third place under floodlights at the Yas Marina circuit.
"Of course pressure is one of the hopes I have. If Lewis feels the pressure and makes a mistake as a result," an upbeat Rosberg said after securing the 15th pole of his career. "I push flat out, all the time, to try and keep the (pressure) level extremely high. That's all I can really do."
Hamilton was quicker than Rosberg in the first two qualifying sessions but almost went off track as his brakes locked heading into the final corner on Q3.
"I didn't have the best of laps," Hamilton said. "(I) couldn't put a comfortable lap together."
Rosberg set a leading time of 1 minute, 40.48 seconds, with Hamilton clocking 1:40.866 and Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas third, ahead of his Williams teammate Felipe Massa. Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth, ahead of teammate Sebastian Vettel.
"It's only one small step. This weekend is about the championship, not pole position," Rosberg said. "It would have been great if there had been a Williams between us, but that could always happen tomorrow."
The speed of Williams is encouraging for Rosberg, who needs one to get between Hamilton and himself. But if Rosberg finishes second, he needs Hamilton to cross the line no higher than sixth.
Although Hamilton leads Rosberg 10-5 in race wins, Rosberg is up 11-7 in pole positions this season, although he has not often made the most of them.
"(The) mind set is that I need to get the job done and continue the form I had in Brazil," said Rosberg, who ended Hamilton's five-race winning run by beating him two weeks ago in Brazil.
0 Comments