Hamilton race win record threat

LEWIS HAMILTON will have to pass both Red Bulls and both Ferraris to maintain his record of winning in every season of his career after Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

- PHILIP DUNCAN

Hamilton, who earlier escaped a penalty for a red-flag infringement in final practice at the sport’s season-ending race, qualified only fifth.

Verstappen blitzed the field to finish two-tenths of a second clear of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, with the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz third and fourth respectively.

Perez and Leclerc are level on points in their fight for second place in the championship.

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who retires after the race, qualified ninth.

A year on from last season’s contentious race which cost Hamilton a record eighth world crown, the seven-time world champion has moved to banish the memory of his darkest day, insisting his thirst for the sport remains unquenched.