Oscar Piastri led a snug McLaren one-two forward of teammate Lando Norris within the ultimate apply session of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, whereas title rival Ferrari remained nearly half a second off the tempo.
The ultimate apply hour of the season was a subdued affair, with situations within the late afternoon unrepresentative of the night-time qualifying session later at the moment or Sunday’s twilight race, with the ambient temperature creeping about 104 levels F.
After some early exploratory laps, Piastri set the tempo on a contemporary set of soppy tires at 1m23.433s, beating teammate Norris by 0.193s, inverting the order of McLaren’s one-two in FP2 on Friday night time.
Lewis Hamilton unexpectedly slotted into third after enhancing on a second efficiency run on a used set of softs, although he was nonetheless 0.39s off the tempo, whereas Max Verstappen, who complained of an absence of chew from his entrance brakes, was 0.411s off the tempo in fourth.
The most effective constructors’ championship contender Ferrari might muster was fifth with Carlos Sainz, who was 0.438s slower than Piastri’s main McLaren. Charles Leclerc, who carries a 10-place grid penalty into the grand prix for a battery change, was ninth quickest and 0.665s of the tempo.
“We’re nowhere. Nowhere,” Leclerc mentioned over staff radio when instructed of his hole to the entrance.
George Russell was a confused sixth, the Mercedes driver 0.642s off the tempo and round 0.2s adrift from the main 5 vehicles. The Briton, who began final weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix from pole place, was mystified as to his lack of tempo.
“I’m unsure what’s occurring,” he radioed early within the session. “The automotive feels OK, simply very gradual.
“I don’t actually know why the tempo is so dangerous. Every little thing feels moderately regular, it’s simply all gradual.”
Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen have been carefully matched, the Haas teammates separated by simply 0.001s and fewer than 0.02s slower than Russell. The German and Dane wedged themselves forward of Leclerc, who trailed by 0.004s.
Sergio Perez accomplished the highest 10 within the second Purple Bull Racing automotive, lapping 0.85s off the tempo and 0.439s slower than teammate Verstappen.
Yuki Tsunoda was eleventh for RB on the head of a brilliant tight group of eight vehicles unfold over lower than 0.2s.
Alex Albon put his Williams twelfth and simply 0.035s off the tempo, with Pierre Gasly following for Alpine an extra 0.03s adrift.
Jack Doohan, who teased that he’d left loads of time on the desk on Friday in pursuit of a clean build-up to qualifying, improved massively in a single day relative to his teammate, lapping simply 0.026s slower than Gasly.
Valtteri Bottas was sixteenth forward of Liam Lawson and Lance Stroll, the trio cut up by 0.052s.
Zhou Guanyu was nineteenth and 1.235s off the tempo, the Chinese language driver round 0.1s forward of Williams rookie Franco Colapinto behind the pack.
