Mark Webber won the pole at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday. Paul Gilham / Getty Images
Mark Webber won the pole at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday. Paul Gilham / Getty Images
Mark Webber won the pole at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday. Paul Gilham / Getty Images
Mark Webber won the pole at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday. Paul Gilham / Getty Images

Webber edges Vettel for pole at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix


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Mark Webber got the better of his Red Bull Racing teammate Sebastian Vettel to claim pole position for the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Australian had been outpaced by Vettel in the practice sessions, but when it counted in qualifying his last gasp effort of 1 minute, 39.957 seconds ensured he will start the 55-lap race from the front.

The Mercedes-GP cars of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are on the second row, with the latter going off on his last lap of the session.

Kimi Raikkonen was fifth in his Lotus, ahead of Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and the second Lotus of Romain Grosjean.

The main surprise of qualifying was Fernando Alonso failing to make it to the top 10 shootout for the first time in 28 races as could go only 11th quickest.

2009 world champion Jenson Button will start down in 13th place.

The race starts at 5pm tomorrow.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica

Best Agent: Jorge Mendes

Best Club : Liverpool   

 Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)  

 Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

 Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

 Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP

 Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart

Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)

Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

Best Women's Player:  Lucy Bronze

Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi

 Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

 Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)

 Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Ibrahim's play list

Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute

Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc

Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar

His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach

Also enjoys listening to Mozart

Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz

Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica 

Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil