The defending three-time champion dominated the session and clocked a fastest time in one minute and 38.755 seconds to beat the championship-leading German by three-tenths of a second.
Hamilton’s performance gives him the ideal opportunity to claim a fourth consecutive victory in Sunday’s race in which Rosberg can secure his maiden drivers title if he finishes on the podium.
It is Briton Hamilton’s 12th pole of the season, a personal record, his third in Abu Dhabi and the 61st of his career. In the process, he ended Rosberg’s hopes of a third consecutive pole at the circuit.
PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION: @LewisHamilton claims pole position for tomorrow's title decider at the #AbuDhabiGP 🇦🇪 #F1Finale #Quali pic.twitter.com/nGPjqkPvZg
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 26, 2016