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Mark Webber grabbed the 13th pole position of his career on Saturday, clocking the fastest lap in a tense qualifying session as Red Bull swept the front row of the grid for Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 37-year-old, who retires from Formula One at the end of the season, recorded 1min 39.957sec to edge out newly-crowned quadruple world champion teammate Sebastian Vettel.
Webber, who will start from the front of the grid for only the second time this season, equalled the Australian record of 13 poles set by Alan Jones, who was celebrating his 67th birthday on Saturday.
In a thrilling finale to an intriguing day, the two Red Bull men crossed the line after the chequered flag to clock their best laps, but battling Briton Lewis Hamilton failed to do the same as he spun his Mercedes in the final part of his lap.
“Fantastic guys, thank you for a fantastic job,” said Webber on team radio.
“This weekend has gone pretty smoothly,” he added later.
“Not the smoothest path to the start of Q2 or Q1, we were not electric, but we changed the car quite a bit and I got more and more comfortable as the session went on.
“It made me more comfortable in the final sector, where Seb has been quick, so I was able to match him there and stay where I had been quick already.”
Vettel said it was terrific to have seen off what he considered was a dangerous looking Mercedes team.
“I think it’s a great result for the team. At the start of qualifying, Mercedes looked very strong, especially in Q2. We seem to be able to find a bit of extra time in Q3.
“Mark did a very good lap so congratulations to him. I should have done a bit better, but I don’t know if it would have been enough. He did a great job, no mistakes. It’s a great result for the team and we should have a strong race tomorrow.”
Hamilton ended up fourth and will start alongside his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.
“Something broke at the rear of the car,” said a disappointed Hamilton, who has twice previously taken pole at the spectacular Yas Marina circuit.
Ferrari-bound Finn Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus was fifth ahead of German Nico Hulkenberg of Sauber with Frenchman Romain Grosjean seventh in the second Lotus.
For Raikkonen it was a satisfying riposte that demonstrated he retains the upper hand in a team riven by controversy following his threat to boycott the last two races this year because he has not been paid.
Brazilian Felipe Massa, who is leaving Ferrari to make room for the Finn, was eighth fastest – and outpaced his teammate Spaniard Fernando Alonso for the eighth time this year – ahead of Mexican Sergio Perez of McLaren and 10th placed Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Toro Rosso, who will drive for Red Bull next year.
Alonso managed no better than 11th.
The Spaniard is second in the drivers’ standings, 24 points ahead of Raikkonen with Hamilton another 14 points behind.
Ferrari have also dropped to third in the constructors’ list, four points behind Mercedes.
Vettel and Red Bull assured themselves of a fourth successive drivers’ and constructors’ title last week in India with three races to spare.
Vettel can equal Michael Schumacher’s record of winning seven straight races in one season on Sunday.
The German won the debut race in Abu Dhabi in 2009 and again in 2010 to clinch his first world title in what was then the season-ender.
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