Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton on pole after setting lap record at Yas Marina Circuit

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  Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates in parc ferme during qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit. Getty Images

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  Hamilton celebrates after taking the pole position next to Ferrari's German driver Sebastian Vettel (right, third place) and Mercedes' Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas (left, second place). AFP

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  Hamilton slap hands with Vettel. AFP

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  Hamilton competes during the qualifying session. AFP

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  Force India driver Sergio Perez of Mexico steers his car during the qualifying session. AP Photo

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  Vettel competes during the qualifying session. AFP

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  Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg of Germany steers his car during the qualifying session. AP Photo

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  Alfa Romeo Sauber F1's Monaco's driver Charles Leclerc competes during the qualifying session. AFP

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  Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia steers his car during the qualifying session. AP Photo

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  Bottas of Finland steers his car during the qualifying session. AP Photo

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  Max Verstappen of the Netherlands on track during qualifying. Getty Images

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  Williams' Russian driver Sergey Sirotkin competes during the qualifying session. AFP

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  Ferrari's Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen competes during the qualifying session. AFP

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  Haas' Kevin Magnussen during qualifying. Reuters

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  Pierre Gasly of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso stops in the Pitlane during qualifying. Getty Images

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  Brendon Hartley of New Zealand on track during qualifying. Getty Images

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  McLaren's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso, right, competes during the qualifying session. AFP

Lewis Hamilton put himself on track to win the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for a record fourth time as he took pole position for Sunday's race.

The world champion took top spot in qualifying on Saturday with a lap record of 1 minute, 34.794 seconds.

Mercedes-GP teammate Valtteri Bottas was second quickest at Yas Marina Circuit to give the German marque their fifth successive lockout of the front row this season.

The Ferrari pair of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were third and fourth, with Daniel Ricciardo out-qualifying his Red Bull Racing teammate Max Verstappen.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso, racing in his last F1 race before he retires, was 15th quickest in his McLaren.

Earlier, Carlos Sainz (Renault), Marcus Ericsson (Sauber), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Sergio Perez (Force India) and Fernando Alonso (McLaren) were the five drivers eliminated from the second part of qualifyingx.

Hamilton was quickest in the session, setting a lap record of 1 minute, 35.693 seconds to be more than half-a-second clear of next fastest Verstappen.

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