DATE: 2009/10/31   TIME: 11:43:12       

Lewis Hamilton dominated qualifying to clinch pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit in convincing fashion for McLaren.

..The Brit was fastest in all three phases of the session and kept his nerve in a frantic finale to Q3 to hold the ascendancy for the inaugural race in Abu Dhabi and secure his 17th career pole after posting a 1:41.773.

Red Bull duo Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber - second and third fastest respectively - pushed Hamilton hard throughout but were pipped at the death by the McLaren driver.

World champion-elect Jenson Button made a fleeting challenge before he finished up fifth fastest after struggling with his Brawn, with team-mate Rubens Barrichello taking fourth.

The fastest times posted by Hamilton through the session were progressively slower, in keeping with the rest of the field as the Yas Marina circuit was slowly plunged in darkness.

Hamilton was quickest through every sector as he set a hugely impressive 1:39.873, with Jenson Button a full half-second behind his compatriot in second.

Renault's Fernando Alonso and Romain Grosjean both dropped out as the Spaniard suffered his worst qualifying of the season in his final qualifying ride for the team.

Vitantonio Liuzzi, Adrian Sutil, and Giancarlo Fisichella were the others to fall early.

Hamilton seized the initiative once more in Q2 with a 1:40.542, but the lead then quickly changed hands as Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull jostled for top spot.

The McLaren driver stormed back at the business end to clinch the fastest time once more with a 1:39.695 and proceeded to hold off the Red Bull duo and Button.

Kimi Raikkonen, Kamui Kobayashi, Heikki Kovalainen, Kazuki Nakajima and Jaime Alguersuari failed to force their way through to the final period of qualifying.

Jarno Trulli, Rubens Barrichello and later Mark Webber and Vettel all tasted top spot before Hamilton stole in for a final time to clinch pole.