Russell Edges Norris in Red-Flagged Abu Dhabi FP3; Verstappen Third

George Russell narrowly topped a busy, red-flagged final practice session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating championship contender Lando Norris by a mere 0.004 seconds. Max Verstappen, also vying for the title, completed the top three, 0.120 seconds behind Russell.

Why it matters:

This final practice session sets the stage for a tense qualifying and race weekend, with the 2025 F1 Drivers' Championship on the line. Lando Norris currently holds a 12-point lead over Max Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri a further four points behind. The tight margins in FP3 underscore the fierce competition expected for pole position and crucial championship points at Yas Marina.

The details:

• Initial Slow Start: FP3 began slowly, with teams conserving tires as track conditions were not fully representative of the later qualifying and race. Only Alpine drivers set proper laps in the first 15 minutes.
• Norris Sets Early Pace: Lando Norris quickly established the benchmark with a 1m24.728s on soft tires, later improving it by 0.195s.
• Track Evolution & Traffic: As more cars joined, track evolution became significant, leading to busy conditions and traffic concerns. Norris had to swerve to avoid a slow Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson encountered Esteban Ocon.
• Verstappen's Interim Lead: Max Verstappen briefly took the top spot with a 1m24.245s, 0.059s faster than Lance Stroll and 0.086s better than Oliver Bearman, reflecting the shifting track conditions.
• Hamilton's Crash: Lewis Hamilton's spin into the Turn 9 barrier with 29 minutes left triggered the session's first red flag. Hamilton reported "something buckled at the front and snapped the rear."
• Late Session Intensity: After an 11-minute stoppage, FP3 resumed for the final 18 minutes. Drivers pushed for qualifying runs, leading to rapidly improving lap times. Verstappen improved to 1m24.116s.
• McLaren's Surge: Oscar Piastri then went half a second quicker than Verstappen, only for Norris to immediately beat his teammate by 0.255s with a strong final sector.
• Pit Lane Incident: A collision occurred in the pitlane when Mercedes released Andrea Kimi Antonelli into the path of Yuki Tsunoda, ending Tsunoda's session prematurely.
• Russell's Last-Minute Domination: In the frantic closing minutes, George Russell snatched the top spot with a 1m23.334s, a time that remained unbeaten. He finished just 0.004s ahead of Norris.
• Surprise Performances: Fernando Alonso claimed a surprising fourth, 0.251s behind Russell, with Piastri in fifth. Haas showed strong form with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman in sixth and seventh, respectively. Ferrari struggled, with Charles Leclerc their best at eighth.

What's next:

With FP3 concluded, all eyes now turn to qualifying later today, which will be crucial for grid position in Sunday's championship-deciding race. The narrow margins seen in practice suggest that qualifying will be a fiercely contested battle, with every thousandth of a second potentially making the difference for the title contenders.