Sebastian Vettel equalled Nigel Mansell's record of 14 pole positions in a single Formula One season after a last-gasp effort gave him top spot in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The world champion set a lap of 1 minute 38.481 seconds to pip McLaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button right at the end of the session.
Hamilton had dominated both practice and the first two parts of qualifying and set the initial pace in the all-important top-10 shootout, with Vettel just behind him while Mark Webber completed the top three.
Button had only been fourth following his first flying lap but surged to the top of the standings before Hamilton toppled him by just nine-thousandths of a second.
It looked like the 2008 world champion would be starting on pole for the second time this season but Vettel, running last of all the major contenders, produced a blistering effort at the death.
Webber was fourth in the other Red Bull with the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso rounding out the top five at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Felipe Massa was next, albeit almost seven tenths slower than his team-mate Alonso.
Mercedes duo Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher and Force India pair Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta will line-up together on the fourth and fifth rows respectively.
Vettel can now claim the pole record for himself if he qualifies first at the final round of the season in Brazil, while the German is still also in with a chance of equalling Michael Schumacher's record of 13 wins in one year.
Hamilton had earlier been comfortably fastest in the first part of qualifying, carrying his momentum over from practice with a time almost four tenths quicker than Webber.
Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello did not manage to turn a wheel in anger as engine problems prevented him from getting out of the pits, meaning he was eliminated along with the Lotuses, Virgins and HRTs.
Vettel stepped up his game in Q2 but his initial benchmark was just bettered by Hamilton before the session was halted to collect a bollard and kerb debris that had been blown onto the track.
As the floodlights began to illuminate the circuit, the front-runners made no further moves with their places in the top-10 shootout already secured, while both Force India cars impressed by also making it through to Q3.
That left the two Saubers, two Toro Rossos, both Renaults and the remaining Williams of Pastor Maldonado to drop out.
Times
01. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m38.481
02. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m38.622 + 0.141
03. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m38.631 + 0.150
04. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m38.858 + 0.377
05. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m39.058 + 0.577
06. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m39.695 + 1.214
07. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m39.773 + 1.292
08. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m40.662 + 2.181
09. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m40.768 + 2.287
10. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes
11. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m40.874 + 2.440
12. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1m40.919 + 2.485
13. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m41.009 + 2.575
14. Bruno Senna Renault 1m41.079 + 2.645
15. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m41.162 + 2.728
16. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m41.240 + 2.806
17. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m41.760 + 3.326
18. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m42.979 + 3.197
19. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault 1m43.884 + 4.102
20. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1m44.515 + 4.733
21. Daniel Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 1m44.641 + 4.859
22. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m44.699 + 4.917
23. Tonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1m45.159 + 5.377
24. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosoworth no time
