ABU DHABI: Nico Rosberg won an Abu Dhabi qualifying battle with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton on Saturday to take his sixth successive pole position.

The 30-year-old German, who races with the number six on his car, beat triple Formula One world champion Hamilton to the top slot for the second year in a row by three tenths of a second as he looks to end the season with a victory at the spectacular Yas Marina circuit.

Rosberg became the eighth man in Formula One history to record six straight poles.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Force India’s Sergio Perez filled the second row behind the two Mercedes drivers, who will be chasing a record 12th one-two finish of the season in Sunday’s day-to-night race.

Raikkonen’s four times world champion team mate Sebastian Vettel, winner of three races this year, could qualify only 16th.

Force India’s Sergio Perez will start from fourth on the grid, ahead of Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Williams driver Valtteri Bottas.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2015