19/11/2022
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 34 degrees.
On the evidence thus fat this is Verstappen's race to lose, though this morning Perez gave the world champion a run for his money.
With the title(s) sewn up Verstappen can afford to ease off but that isn't his style.
For Perez, this weekend is all about claiming the runner-up spot, which would not only mark the Mexican's best finish but also give Red Bull its first ever 1-2 in the championship.
However, while Ferrari is unusually off the pace, Mercedes would dearly love to spoil the party... and what better place than where the 2021 championship ended in such controversial fashion.
Though Russell has opened his win account, Hamilton faces the prospect of his first win-less season since he entered the sport, and at a time the Stevenage Rocket starts his 200th Grand Prix with Mercedes - the most that any driver has contested with the same team - he will be keen to celebrate that milestone in style.
As if that wasn't enough, there's the battle between Alpine and McLaren for fourth, Alfa Romeo and Aston Martin for sixth and Haas and Alpha Tauri for eighth... and don't forget it is the team standings that decide the prize money.
The lights go green and Latifi leads the way, followed by Gasly, Tsunoda, Stroll, Vettel and Albon.
Of the first wave, Tsunoda goes quickest (26.135), ahead of Schumacher, Stroll, Vettel and Gasly.
At which point the big guns head out, the Alpine pair the last to leave their garages.
Perez and Verstappen trade fastest sectors.
Leclerc goes quickest with a 25.211, but Perez responds with a 24.820 and Verstappen a 24.754.
Norris goes third and Ricciardo fourth, while Hamilton makes a mistake and runs wide in Turn 16. The Briton crosses the line at 25.594 to go sixth while teammate Russell posts a 25.545 to claim fourth.
The Bulls are separated by just 0.066s, but 4s clear of Leclerc.
Sainz goes third but remains 0.336s off the pace.
"I think my headrest is broken," reports Verstappen.
Albon goes 12th but drops to 19th as he becomes the first driver to have his time deleted after exceeding track limits.
"Mate!" exclaims Alonso following a mighty wobble.
Among those in the danger zone in Vettel who is contesting his last ever Grand Prix this weekend.
With 3:40 remaining the final assault gets underway. Only the Ferrari pair - currently third and fourth - remain in their garages.
Greens in the opening sectors for Zhou, while Vettel goes fifth overall.
Latifi goes 14th, Zhou goes ninth and Schumacher 10th.
Stroll goes 12th, while Albon fails to improve as does Bottas.
A late charge sees Magnussen go 14th, while Ricciardo holds on to 13th.
At the death, Alonso goes 15th, which demotes Magnussen, seven days after that pole.
Quickest is Verstappen, ahead of Perez, Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Vettel, Russell, Hamilton, Zhou and Tsunoda.
We lose Magnussen, Gasly, Bottas, Albon and Latifi.
Hamilton leads teammate Russell out under the floodlights as Q2 gets underway.
"The brake is still a problem," reports Hamilton.
As the Mercedes pair begin the flying lap, Leclerc, Vettel, Zhou and Tsunoda head out.
Hamilton posts a 25.772 while Russell responds with a 25.363.
While the Mercedes drivers were on used softs, the Bulls are on fresh rubber, as is Norris.
Stroll goes third (25.996), but is demoted when his teammate splits the Mercedes pair with a 25.661.
Ocon goes second as Verstappen and Sainz trade fastest sectors.
Leclerc goes quickest (25.345), but is instantly leapfrogged by Norris and then Sainz, only for Verstappen and Perez (24.419) to go even quicker.
From quickest to fifth in a matter of moments for the Monegasque.
"Again, again, Red Bull in the last corner," complains Vettel of Perez.
PBs in the first two sectors are followed by a purple, as Hamilton improves from ninth to second with a 24.774, thereby splitting the Bulls.
Russell goes fourth with a 24.940 having posted PBs in all three sectors.
"Three-tenth?" responds a clearly stunned Hamilton when told the gap to Perez.
Vettel goes quickest in S1, but Alonso and then Leclerc go quicker.
Vettel goes fifth, Schumacher eighth, while Alonso can only manage 12th.
Tsunoda goes 8th which demotes Schumacher.
Alonso improves to ninth and Leclerc second.
Sainz goes third, Verstappen fourth and Norris sixth.
"It's OK," replies Alonso when told he has missed the cut.
Perez is quickest, ahead of Leclerc, Sainz, Verstappen, Hamilton, Norris, Russell, Vettel, Ocon and Ricciardo.
We lose Alonso, Tsunoda, Schumacher, Stroll and Zhou.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Yas Marina here.
Once again, Hamilton is first out, followed by his Mercedes teammate. Next out are the Ferrari pair, followed by Ocon.
Verstappen is among the last out, which surprises teammate Perez, leaving only Vettel and Ricciardo in their garages.
"What happened," asks Perez when he doesn't see his teammate in his mirrors. "Max had a problem with his car," he is told.
Hamilton posts a benchmark 24.678 while Russell responds with a 24.694.
Sainz posts purples in the first two sectors, and while Leclerc goes top with a 24.343, the Spaniard stops the clock at 24.281.
Quickest in S2, a mistake in the final corner costs Perez provisional pole. The Mexican crosses the line at 24.316 to go second.
A 23.988 sees Verstappen go top, but the legality of the final corner appeared dubious.
As Vettel and Ricciardo head out, it's: Verstappen, Sainz, Perez, Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell and Ocon.
Vettel goes seventh with a 24.961, while Ricciardo subsequently goes eighth (25.045).
Leclerc doesn't look as though he's going to improve, while Hamilton goes quickest in S1.
In fact, a strong final sector sees Leclerc go second (24.092), while Norris goes seventh.
Verstappen consolidates his top spot with a 23.824 while Perez goes second with a 24.052.
Neither Mercedes driver is able to improve, with Hamilton the quicker of the pair.
So, Verstappen takes pole ahead of Perez, Leclerc, Sainz, Hamilton, Russell, Norris, Ocon, Vettel and Ricciardo, though the Australian has that 3-place grid penalty following the clash with Magnussen last week.
Alonso qualifies eleventh, ahead of Tsunoda, Schumacher, Stroll, Zhou, Magnussen, Gasly, Bottas, Albon and Latifi.
"I locked up in Turn 6 / 7," admits Leclerc, "but we are in the position we deserve, the Red Bulls were stronger.
"It should be interesting with Checo tomorrow," he adds. "I'm sure we can work together with Carlos and maximise the team result."
"It's a good starting place," adds Perez, "I just didn't make that final step in Q3.
"But it's good to lock out the front row for tomorrow," he continues, "and Max did a good job for me.
"Thank you to all the fans that are here, I hope tomorrow we can have a strong race. It should be an interesting one."
"It was a bit of an up and down qualifying," says Verstappen, "Q2 was a bit messy, I couldn't get the grip together. But in Q3 it felt more normal.
"We had a bit of a scare as the car turned off," he admits. "For sure today was amazing but I expect it to be a good battle tomorrow."
Check out our Saturday gallery from Yas Marina here.