Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday's title decider in Abu Dhabi from second place on the grid, the Mercedes driver unable to beat the best effort in qualifying of his arch-rival Max Verstappen.
After a strong display in the first segment of qualifying, Hamilton clocked in P3 at the end of Q2. But the Mercedes had conducted his fastest run on the medium tyre while Verstappen and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez had used Pirelli's sift compound to good effect.
With everyone shod on the red-walled soft rubber for the final shootout, Hamilton looked set to reclaim the top spot. But a flawless lap by Verstappen, slightly aided by a tow from Perez, would prove an unsurmountable challenge for the Mercedes driver.
©Mercedes
"Firstly, Max did a great lap today," said Hamilton just after qualifying. "We just couldn't compete with that time at the end there.
"It was looking really strong through practice. We just couldn't answer to that lap. That was a fantastic lap from him."
Hamilton said his final flyer was a "nice and clean" lap, but one that just wasn't quick enough. The Briton pointed to his tyre preparation as a possible reason for his 0.371s deficit to pole.
"On the first lap, I dropped a little bit of time in Turn 5. But the last lap was nice and clean, I just couldn't go any quicker.
"I don't know if it was tyre prep or whatever it may be in terms of the out lap, but nonetheless, I couldn't beat that time that he did today - he fully deserves the pole."
Asked if Mercedes had laid down a potential plan before qualifying for Valtteri Bottas and himself to work together, as Red Bull's drivers did, Hamilton said: "No, it wasn't discussed, and we've never really done that."
But despite missing out on pole, Hamilton was remained upbeat about his chances of snatching a historic eight world title at Yas Marina on Sunday, especially given Mercedes' medium compound tyre choice.
"I'm still on the front row," he said. "We've got the difference obviously between the tyres, but I'm grateful I can see where he is! And then we can try navigate from there."
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