Late effort puts Nico Rosberg on pole for season finale in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
German driver outpaces Mercedes teammate Hamilton for his sixth successive pole
Nico Rosberg produced one of the best laps of his career when he snatched his sixth straight pole position with a dramatic late effort in Saturday's qualifying for Sunday's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 30-year-old German, who was trailing, outpaced his Mercedes teammate and newly-crowned three-times world champion Lewis Hamilton by 0.377 seconds with his final effort in a closely-fought twilight session under floodlights at the Yas Marina circuit.
Primarily, I would just like to win this race because it's a great feeling
Hamilton had been fastest in the two earlier sessions and led Rosberg before he reacted to take pole again, as he did before last year's showdown race, with a stunning show of speed.
"Primarily, I would just like to win this race because it's a great feeling," said Rosberg, who lost last year's championship in Abu Dhabi when he suffered a mechanical failure after starting from pole.
"I am not thinking about momentum for next year ... Before, it was close in the other direction and now it's close in this direction.
"I am quicker at the moment and I am pleased about that and happy to be on pole again."
Hamilton, still stuck on 49 pole positions as he has been since the Italian Grand Prix in early September, said: "I've been struggling with the car a little all weekend.
