Abu Dhabi GP: Russell Tops Final Practice, Hamilton Crashes

George Russell unexpectedly claimed the fastest time in the final practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, narrowly beating championship leader Lando Norris by just 0.004 seconds, while Max Verstappen secured third. The session was a chaotic preview for Sunday's finale, featuring traffic issues, a red flag, and intense late-session time attacks.

Why it matters:

With the championship title on the line, every session's results provide crucial insights into team and driver performance under pressure. Russell's surprise pace suggests Mercedes could be a dark horse in qualifying, potentially disrupting the McLaren-Red Bull duel. Hamilton's crash, while not critical in a practice session, highlights the fine margins and risks drivers are taking as they push limits for the season's final race.

The details:

• Early Session: The session began slowly due to high afternoon temperatures, which differ significantly from Sunday night's race conditions. Only the Alpines initially set competitive laps.
• Norris's Initial Dominance: Lando Norris quickly established his authority, setting a 1m24.728s on soft tires and later improving it by two-tenths as the track evolved.
• Traffic and Shuffles: As more cars joined, traffic became a major issue, with several close calls. Max Verstappen briefly took the top spot with a 1m24.245s, heading an unexpected top three that included Lance Stroll and Oliver Bearman.
• Hamilton's Red Flag: Lewis Hamilton's spin into the Turn 9 barrier caused the session's only red flag with 29 minutes remaining. He reported a mechanical issue at the front, leading to the rear snapping.
• Final Flurry: After the restart, Verstappen again went fastest, but was quickly surpassed by Oscar Piastri, and then Norris, who showed exceptional pace in the final sector.
• Pitlane Incident: Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli was released directly into Yuki Tsunoda in the pitlane, ending the RB driver's session prematurely.
• Russell's Decisive Lap: In the closing moments, George Russell delivered a stunning 1m23.334s lap, which proved unbeatable, securing him the top spot ahead of Norris and Verstappen.
• Unexpected Performers: Fernando Alonso surprisingly took fourth, while Haas showed strong pace with Esteban Ocon in sixth and Oliver Bearman in seventh. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was only eighth, with Antonelli and Alex Albon rounding out the top ten.

The big picture:

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the culmination of a thrilling season, with Norris, Verstappen, and Piastri all mathematically in contention for the drivers' championship, though Norris holds a significant lead. The intense and unpredictable nature of FP3, marked by traffic, a red flag, and last-minute time attacks, underscores the high stakes and the fierce competition expected for qualifying and the race. The narrow margins between the top drivers suggest that even the smallest mistake could have significant implications for the championship outcome.

What's next:

With qualifying being the final session before the title decider, teams will be pushing their cars to the absolute limit. The razor-thin margins seen in FP3 indicate that pole position will be fiercely contested. The performance of Mercedes and Ferrari, particularly Russell's surprising pace and Hamilton's crash, will add another layer of intrigue to what promises to be a dramatic qualifying session and an even more exciting race on Sunday.