Provisional starting grid for Abu Dhabi GP: Bottas at the back, Norris in attack!

With the final Grand Prix of the 2019 season being held on Sunday at the Yas Marina Circuit, here is how the grid will line up for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as it stands, barring any penalties.

Qualifying recap

Lewis Hamilton was on his longest streak without pole position since joining Mercedes, going nine weekends without setting the pace on a Saturday afternoon as the German works team completed another one-two, although Valtteri Bottas will start from the back of the grid due to a grid penalty.

1:34.828 was the time to beat from Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc failed to make it to the checkered flag in time to set his final lap for the second time this season. The Monegasque was held up by slow cars in front of him on his out lap as Ferrari admitted it was a risky strategy call from them which backfired.

Bottas pipped Max Verstappen to P2 as the latter ran wide in the final corner in his final run, although the Dutchman will go up to P2 on the grid with Bottas serving a grid penalty. It was the fifth time Hamilton was on pole position in Abu Dhabi as he extends his amazing record in the Middle East.

In midfield, it was Lando Norris who beat every other midfield car to P7 as he beat Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz to it, meaning the 20-year-old has beaten Sainz in the qualifying duel 11 to 10, although the Spaniard has scored the bulk of the points during the races across 2019.

Provisional starting grid for the 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

*Bottas has swapped his engine for the fourth time, giving him a grid penalty.