Hamilton took pole position for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with a best Q3 lap of 1:38.755. Rosberg was second, around three tenths of a second behind, giving Mercedes a front-row lockout.
Archive image from the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Hamilton led Rosberg with a 1:39.013 on his first Q3 run, then improved to 1:38.755 on his second. Rosberg also improved to 1:39.058 but remained 0.303 seconds behind.
Ricciardo and Räikkönen finished third and fourth, with Vettel fifth. Red Bull and Ferrari followed Mercedes, and the starting order behind the title contenders would shape the opening-lap battle.
Hamilton led Q1 with a 1:39.487, while Rosberg was only fifth in the opening segment. Hamilton led again in Q2, with Rosberg second on a 1:39.490.
Verstappen qualified sixth, while Pérez and Hülkenberg reached the top ten. Red Bull chose a different starting-tyre strategy from Mercedes, seeking strategic opportunities in the race.
Both Force India drivers reached Q3, with Hülkenberg seventh and Pérez eighth. Alonso reached the final segment and finished ninth, while Massa took tenth to give Williams a place in the top ten.
The top ten also included McLaren’s Alonso and Williams’ Massa. Among those eliminated in Q2, Bottas was 11th and Button 12th. Red Bull completed Q2 on supersoft tyres, meaning it would start the race on the more durable but slower compound.
Hamilton would start from pole with Rosberg alongside. A podium finish would be enough for Rosberg to secure the championship, making strategy and the battle within Mercedes central themes of the season finale.
| Position | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:39.487 | 1:39.382 | 1:38.755 | 12 |
| 2 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:40.511 | 1:39.490 | 1:39.058 | 12 |
| 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | 1:41.002 | 1:40.429 | 1:39.589 | 17 |
| 4 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 1:40.338 | 1:39.629 | 1:39.604 | 14 |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 1:40.341 | 1:40.034 | 1:39.661 | 14 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:40.424 | 1:39.903 | 1:39.818 | 13 |
| 7 | Nico Hülkenberg | Force India | 1:41.000 | 1:40.709 | 1:40.501 | 12 |
| 8 | Sergio Pérez | Force India | 1:40.864 | 1:40.743 | 1:40.519 | 12 |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren | 1:41.616 | 1:41.044 | 1:41.106 | 17 |
| 10 | Felipe Massa | Williams | 1:41.157 | 1:40.858 | 1:41.213 | 15 |
| 11 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams | 1:41.192 | 1:41.084 | 9 | |
| 12 | Jenson Button | McLaren | 1:41.158 | 1:41.272 | 14 | |
| 13 | Esteban Gutiérrez | Haas | 1:41.639 | 1:41.480 | 16 | |
| 14 | Romain Grosjean | Haas | 1:41.467 | 1:41.564 | 15 | |
| 15 | Jolyon Palmer | Renault | 1:41.775 | 1:41.820 | 14 | |
| 16 | Pascal Wehrlein | Manor | 1:41.886 | 1:41.995 | 14 | |
| 17 | Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 1:42.003 | 9 | ||
| 18 | Kevin Magnussen | Renault | 1:42.142 | 6 | ||
| 19 | Felipe Nasr | Sauber | 1:42.247 | 8 | ||
| 20 | Esteban Ocon | Manor | 1:42.286 | 8 | ||
| 21 | Carlos Sainz | Toro Rosso | 1:42.393 | 9 | ||
| 22 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber | 1:42.637 | 8 |
