LEAD: Vettel equals F1 pole record with Abu Dhabi qualifying win

By Elmar Dreher Nov 12, 2011, 14:54 GMT

Abu Dhabi - World champion Sebastian Vettel equalled Nigel Mansell's record 14 pole positions in a Formula One season when he dominated qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday.

Vettel clocked 1 minute 38.481 seconds on the 5.554km Yas Marina Circuit to match Mansell's achievement from the 1992 campaign and give Red Bull 17 season poles from 18 sessions.

Lewis Hamilton had to settle for second in 1:38.622 and his McLaren team-mate Jenson Button third on 1:38.631.

McLaren had dominated the three practice sessions with Hamilton taking the second and third, but was beaten by Vettel yet again when it mattered.

'I had just enough to jump ahead of Lewis, who has been strong all weekend,' said Vettel, adding he felt 'relief' after a rather slow start into the weekend which also included a bump into the safety barriers on Friday.

Vettel spoke of 'tricky' conditions because 'you practice in day conditions when the sun is up and the track is hot. Then in qualifying it's getting dark and cool, so the car behaves differently.'

Vettel can raise the pole record to 15 in a fortnight at the season-ending Brazilian race, and by winning the final two races would also match Michael Schumacher's record 14 season victories from 2004.

Hamilton, who got the only non-Red Bull pole of the season recently in South Korea, kept a straight face after losing out again in the dying seconds of the session.

'We were quick in qualifying. The car is feeling good. Just at the end, that was as fast as I was able to go on that lap. It was not particularly great. That's the way it is,' he said.

Hamilton said that Vettel 'did a great lap' but still hopes for a third season victory in the 55-lap race on Sunday.

'The race is tomorrow and that's most important day,' he said.

Vettel is also taking nothing for granted despite his season dominance and the fact that he won both previous editions of the race and clinched the 2010 title there in what was then the season-ender.

'It will be a long race, a fun race. McLaren are very competitive and that's what we expect in the race as well. But we will focus on ourselves. It will be a long fight until the chequered flag. I am confident and ready,' Vettel said.

Ferrari had to be content with fifth place from ex-champion Fernando Alonso and sixth from Felipe Massa, while Mark Webber was fourth in the second Red Bull.

Vettel assured himself of back-to-back titles last month and has amassed 374 points. The race for second place remains open between Button (240), Alonso (227), Webber (221) and Hamilton (202).

Williams, meanwhile, met total disaster and will start with both cars in the last row for the first time in their proud F1 history.

Pastor Maldonado is 23rd after losing 10 places on the grid over an engine change penalty. Rubens Barrichello is last after recording no time amid speculation that he could lose his place in the team to reportedly returning ex-champ Kimi Raikkonen.

'I will just try to enjoy myself as much as I can on Sunday but it has been a disappointing day,' he told the BBC.

'I'm going to 40 years of age with 20 years of racing next season so it's almost a must for me to be there next year. I'm doing everything I can to be on the grid. I'm even looking at other things such as getting sponsors if that's what we need.'