At the qualifying for Abu Dhabi GP, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were looking like the primary contenders for pole position. However, unexpectedly, a Red Bull emerged in the distance as the checkered flag waved over Q3, and all of a sudden, the timesheet witnessed Max Verstappen sneak ahead of Bottas by 0.025 seconds into P1.

Nevertheless, a weekend is all about the race day, and Mercedes hold better chances of standing on the top step. Hence, Lewis did not sound concerned, as he is hoping that Mercedes will give Red Bull “a run for their money” on Sunday.

What did Lewis Hamilton say?

Following the qualifying session, Lewis opened up about his struggles over the weekend under the lights in Abu Dhabi.

“It’s been a difficult weekend, I would say. Just getting back into rhythm, even though it’s only a couple of weeks off,” Lewis said. “It felt like I’d lost the momentum. And I really struggled so far with the balance this weekend.

“I gave it my all. And congratulations to Max. It’s a great way for him to seal the year. Great Performance. We’re gonna hopefully give them a run for their money tomorrow.”

During the final run in Q3, Lewis did purple times in both sector 1 and sector 2. Meanwhile, on the other hand, Bottas was still strolling and was nowhere near his teammate’s lap time.

Lewis, unsurprisingly, topped the timesheet, but Bottas produced a stunning final sector, as he beat the Briton to provisional pole. However, it was not all over, as a Red Bull was still on a flying lap.

What to expect from the race?

Max produced a brilliant final lap to beat both Mercedes drivers to pole, as the entire paddock went in awe. It was definitely a sight to watch for the Formula 1 fans in what has been a rather Mercedes-dominant season.

Looking at the way the grid has lined up, it should be an interesting race to watch in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Max, with nothing to lose, will defend harder than usual from the constructors’ champions.

Hence, the race start is definitely something to watch out for. However, it is unlikely that either of the Mercedes will rush into getting past Max, as they hold the advantage despite starting behind the Dutchman.

Considering Mercedes’ incredible straight-line speed, the move should be quite straightforward. Worst-case scenario, the Silver Arrows will rely on the strategy and see if they could pull off a jump ahead of the Red Bull driver.

Will Mercedes end their season on a high? Or will the F1 community witness an electric race and watch Max win the race from pole position?