Lewis Hamilton claimed pole for Sunday's title-showdown Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by outpacing his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in Saturday's tense and dramatic qualifying at the Yas Marina circuit.
The defending three-time champion dominated the session and clocked a fastest time in one minute and 38.755 seconds to beat the championship-leading German by three-tenths of a second.
Hamilton's performance gives him the ideal opportunity to claim a fourth consecutive victory in Sunday's race in which Rosberg can secure his maiden drivers title if he finishes on the podium.
It is Briton Hamilton's 12th pole of the season, a personal record, his third in Abu Dhabi and the 61st of his career. In the process, he ended Rosberg's hopes of a third consecutive pole at the circuit.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo produced a scorching late lap to take third for Red Bull ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and his Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel and Dutch teenager Max Verstappen in the second Red Bull.
Lewis Hamilton gestures after taking pole position in the qualifying session as part of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit on Saturday.
