Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2015: Nico Rosberg continues qualifying domination over Lewis Hamilton with sixth straight pole

Kimi Raikkonen qualified third but Sebastian Vettel will start 16th after losing power in Q1

Nico Rosberg celebrates his pole in Abu Dhabi ahead of Lewis Hamilton (Getty Images)

Just when Lewis Hamilton thought it was safe to venture back to dominance, Nico Rosberg hits back. Throughout the first two qualifying sessions round the charismatic Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi yesterday, the world champion appeared to have rediscovered the mojo that had seen him start 12 times in his third championship year from pole position.

But then, in the third session which decides the first five rows of the starting grid, his Mercedes team-mate Rosberg went in front.

The Englishman’s first effort was a disappointing 1m 41.016s, the lap fading in the final sector. Rosberg demolished that comfortably with 1m 40.738s, the fastest lap of the weekend.

Hamilton took back the initiative with 1m 40.614s on his second run, but Rosberg was not fazed and promptly upped the ante with 1m 40.237s. It was his sixth pole position in a row and his seventh of the year, and sets him up for a shot at a late-run hat-trick after his successes in Mexico and Brazil.

Nico Rosberg set the fastest time with his final lap as the sun set (Getty Images)

So what’s brought about this sudden reversal of fortune, after Hamilton walloped him so often when the championship crown was at stake? “It’s not a revival, I haven’t reinvented anything,” Rosberg said. “It’s just progress and that’s it. Before it was always very, very close but Lewis had that one-tenth edge and at the moment it’s me that has the one-tenth edge. Today a bit more, but it was very close lately in the last two races. That’s it. At the moment I’m just quicker.”

Hamilton admitted that he had been struggling with his car all weekend. “Generally, it gets a little bit better in the race but it’s been difficult for a while now. Generally, I’m just struggling on the edge with the car. It was a lot more comfortable at the beginning of the year for me and as I said, coming into this weekend I tried to make some changes.

“I disadvantaged myself a little bit maybe, with one of the things I took off the car which was of benefit. I tried to get around it but at the end of the day it wasn’t good enough. But Nico was just really quick today, and he did a great job in Q3.”

Sebastian Vettel suffered a loss of power in Q1 (Getty Images)

Rosberg, however, might be the one with the disadvantage come the race, which he will start with an engine that has amassed high mileage. But he said: “Primarily I would just like to win the race, because it’s a great feeling to win and it would also give my whole crew and the team a great end to the season and a good reason to party then tomorrow night. That would be awesome.”

Behind the Mercedes, Kimi Raikkonen got it right for Ferrari with a lap in 1m 41.051s to snatch third from Sergio Perez, who was a nonetheless excellent fourth in the low-budget Force India with 1m 41.184s. Raikkonen pulled some fat from the fire for F1’s famous scuderia, after a spectacular drop-off saw Sebastian Vettel fail to make it through to Q2 after not being able to hook up a fast lap on the supersoft Pirelli tyres in Q1. He will start from 16th place.

“We thought we were quick enough, we thought that time was enough,” Vettel admitted. “It turned out not to be. It’s not very spectacular, but that’s what happened. It’s a small mistake with a big consequence. Quite costly. Now we have to be awake, we have to be ready. You can overtake here – sometimes it’s not easy, but it’s not impossible.”

It was a mixed day for the red team, after it was revealed Mercedes have written to the FIA stewards seeking clarification about the rules governing the use of wind tunnels, as rival teams are concerned that Ferrari might have breached them in their relationship with the new Haas team which will enter the sport in 2016.

The FIA’s technical and sporting co-ordinator Marcin Budkowski has conducted an investigation and found nothing amiss, but Mercedes were advised that the next course of action was to raise the matter with the race stewards.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff insisted they were not making a specific complaint against Ferrari, and said: “It’s just a clarification and is not aimed at any team. We have been seeking some answers which were not given in complete clarity from the FIA before, and I think this is for everyone to know what the situation is.” The stewards have pledged to present that clarification before the start of the race today.

Wolff featured in a moment of levity yesterday morning. Following spurious suggestions elsewhere in the media that he and Mercedes’ non-executive chairman Niki Lauda had fallen out and the wheels are about to come off the Silver Arrows’ wagon, the two Austrians happily mugged for cameras, walking through the paddock hand in hand.

Final Positions after Qualifying:

1 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP 1min 40.237secs

2 Lewis Hamilton(Gbr)Mercedes GP 1:40.614

3 Kimi Raikkonen(Fin)Ferrari 1:41.051

4 Sergio Perez(Mex)Force India 1:41.184

5 Daniel Ricciardo(Aus)Red Bull 1:41.444

6 Valtteri Bottas(Fin)Williams 1:41.656

7 Nico Hulkenberg(Ger)Force India 1:41.686

8 Felipe Massa(Bra)Williams 1:41.759

9 Daniil Kvyat(Rus)Red Bull 1:41.933

10 Carlos Sainz(Spa)Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:42.708

11 Max Verstappen(Ned)Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:42.521

12 Jenson Button(Gbr)McLaren 1:42.668

13 Pastor Maldonado(Ven)Lotus F1 Team 1:42.807

14 Felipe Nasr(Bra)Sauber-Ferrari 1:43.614

15 Romain Grosjean(Fra)Lotus F1 Team No Time

16 Sebastian Vettel(Ger)Ferrari 1:42.941,

17 Fernando Alonso(Spa)McLaren 1:43.187

18 Marcus Ericsson(Swe)Sauber-Ferrari 1:43.838

19 Will Stevens(Gbr) Manor Marussia F1 1:46.297

20 Roberto Merhi(Spa) Manor Marussia F1 1:47.434

Note: Will Stevens has a five-place penalty for using his fifth control electronics unit of the season