Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Final Practice Report
Abu Dhabi, UAE — George Russell emerged as the fastest driver during the final practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, setting a benchmark time of 1:23.334. This performance places him firmly in contention as qualifying approaches. Russell’s strategy to conserve tires until late in the session paid off, demonstrating notable pace despite warmer conditions compared to Friday’s practice.
Following Russell, McLaren’s Lando Norris clocked in second, just 0.004 seconds behind. Norris showcased the McLaren’s strengths in tire management, particularly in the challenging final sector, compensating for Mercedes’ advantage on the straights.
Max Verstappen, trailing by 0.124 seconds in third, reported handling issues with the car, experiencing noticeable bouncing during his runs. “The problem is the car still jumps. I can’t keep my feet on the pedals,” Verstappen radioed, highlighting ongoing challenges despite his competitive timing.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished fourth, 0.251 seconds behind Russell, while Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five, falling 0.259 seconds off the pace. Piastri performed strongly in the first two sectors but lost significant time in the final split.
Further down the leaderboard, Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman displayed strong form, finishing sixth and seventh, separated by just 0.004 seconds. Charles Leclerc for Ferrari and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes completed the top ten, with Antonelli’s session affected by a late pit lane incident involving Yuki Tsunoda.
The clash occurred as both drivers were released from the pits simultaneously, resulting in Antonelli damaging his front wing and Tsunoda sustaining terminal damage after hitting the barriers. The incident is currently under review by the stewards.
Lewis Hamilton encountered a setback, crashing out midway through the session after losing control of his Mercedes at Turn 19, which resulted in a 13-minute red flag. Hamilton was reported to have communicated mechanical issues shortly before the crash, and he ended up 18th overall.
Results Summary
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:23.334
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.004s
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) – +0.124s
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – +0.251s
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.259s
- Esteban Ocon (Haas) – +0.271s
- Oliver Bearman (Haas) – +0.275s
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.341s
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +0.373s
- Alex Albon (Williams) – +0.400s
As the teams prepare for qualifying, the battle between title contenders remains fierce, with Russell and Norris leading the charge in their quest for pole position.
