For 2012, Rabat switched to Pons Racing and achieved 7th place in the championship. Rabat's breakthrough year came during the season. After finishing ninth in the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix, Rabat recorded a second-place finish at the Grand Prix of the Americas; after five previous third places, it was Rabat's best result in Grand Prix racing at the time. The following race, Rabat achieved his first pole position in the Spanish Grand Prix, outpacing all of his rivals by over four tenths of a second. In the race, Rabat led from start to finish, winning by over four seconds from Scott Redding. He added victories later in the season, at the Indianapolis and Malaysian Grands Prix.