NASCAR Cup Series

Red Bull's Vettel wins Abu Dhabi GP pole

Published Nov. 13, 2010 3:30 p.m. ET

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Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull stepped up the pressure on championship leader Fernando Alonso by taking pole position Saturday for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

With an unprecedented four drivers still in contention for the title ahead of the last race Sunday, Alonso still put himself in good position to clinch the championship by finishing third in qualifying. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton - a longshot for the title - was second, while Alonso's closest challenger Mark Webber of Red Bull was a disappointing fifth after struggling with his grip all day.

Vettel clocked 1 minute, 39.394 seconds at the Yas Marina circuit, making him 0.31 seconds quicker than Hamilton.

Alonso was 0.398 seconds back in his Ferrari, with last year's champion and Hamilton's teammate Jenson Button in fourth, 0.429 seconds back. Webber was 0.531 seconds back of his teammate.

Alonso has an eight-point lead over Webber in the championship standings, while Vettel is 15 points behind and Hamilton 24 points back.

The 23-year-old Vettel held up one finger and stuck out his tongue after taking his 10th pole of the year. He now has a chance to repeat last year's performance, when he led a one-two Red Bull finish in the Gulf.

"Obviously, we start from pole. It couldn't be better," Vettel said. "At the practice, we didn't look too good but we went out last and we did it. It was a very good job by everyone, the whole team."

Hamilton struggled earlier in the qualifying session, slipping off the track and then being clipped by Ferrari's Felipe Massa, but he got in a good lap when it mattered. He just barely managed to remain in the top 10 after the second qualifying session and then had a stunning lap in the third.

"Today is a much better start of the weekend for us," Hamilton said. "The team did some great things improving the car. A good feeling. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain."

A victory is worth 25 points, while second place is good for 18. Alonso can guarantee himself the title by finishing in the top two.

Alonso can finish as low as third or fourth if Webber doesn't win the race, and he can also win by finishing out of the points as long as Webber doesn't finish in the top five, Vettel is third or lower and Hamilton fails to win.

Alonso, whose fast time came with minutes left in qualifying, called his position "great" but said "a lot can happen" during Sunday's race. Still, he was happy to finish ahead of Webber.

"For tomorrow, I feel confident," Alonso said. "I feel the team supporting a lot, a very good atmosphere. I feel happy with the car, 2010 has been a great, great year for me."

Webber can win his first F1 title by leading a Red Bull 1-2, but with teams banned from giving "team orders" - telling drivers to let their teammates pass - it may come down to Vettel voluntarily letting Webber through if the team is to add a drivers' championship to the constructors' title it has already won.

The 34-year-old's fifth-place position dents his dream of becoming the first Australian world champion since Alan Jones in 1980. But he insisted his title chase was far from over.

"I'm not rapped to be the fifth on the grid. It's disappointing," Webber said. "But there's still a long ways to go tomorrow - the fat lady hasn't sung yet."

Webber said he couldn't manage the pace of his competitors in qualifying, adding that he "didn't have the grip of the other guys and I need to have a look where I was losing time."

To win the title, Vettel needs to win and hope Alonso is outside the top four. If Vettel is second, both Webber and Alonso need to finish low enough to allow the German to remain at the top.

Hamilton can still win his second title, but the 2008 champion needs a victory coupled with Alonso finishing out of the points, Vettel no higher than third and Webber sixth or lower.

"Pressure-wise, we know in which position we are," Vettel said. "We know we're not leading this championship, so probably there is more pressure on Fernando and Mark."