Russell Tops Abu Dhabi FP3, Edging Out F1 2025 Title Contenders
George Russell unexpectedly topped the final practice session for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, narrowly beating championship leader Lando Norris by just 0.004 seconds. Max Verstappen finished third, while Lewis Hamilton's session was cut short by a heavy crash. The tight margins across the field, coupled with various incidents, hint at a highly competitive and unpredictable qualifying session.
George Russell snatched the fastest time in the final practice session for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, narrowly beating championship leader Lando Norris. This unexpected surge from Russell saw him displace both Norris and Max Verstappen, setting the stage for a dramatic qualifying session.
Why it matters:
- Russell's performance in FP3 could be a significant confidence boost for Mercedes, especially given their mixed form throughout the season.
- His ability to outpace the main title contenders, Norris and Verstappen, suggests Mercedes might have found a stronger rhythm just in time for the crucial qualifying and race.
- The tight margins across the top 16 cars (only 0.645s separating them) indicate an incredibly competitive field, promising an exciting and unpredictable race weekend.
The Details:
- Unexpected Pace: George Russell, who had been outside the top 10 early in the session, found late pace to post a 1m23.334s, just 0.004s quicker than Norris.
- Verstappen's Struggles: Max Verstappen, finishing third, complained about his Red Bull 'jumping,' making it difficult to maintain pedal control. This could hint at underlying setup issues for the championship contender.
- Hamilton's Crash: Lewis Hamilton crashed heavily at Turn 9 after running wide, causing a red flag and significantly impacting his session. He finished a disappointing 18th.
- Piastri's Improvement: Oscar Piastri, after missing FP1 and struggling on Friday, improved to finish fifth, 0.259s off Norris's pace.
- Haas's Strong Showing: Haas continued to impress, with Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman finishing sixth and seventh respectively, ahead of Charles Leclerc's Ferrari.
- Pit Lane Incident: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) collided in the pits, resulting in damage to both cars and a referral to the stewards. Tsunoda, who had shown strong sector times, was left stranded at the bottom of the leaderboard due to a broken floor.
What's next:
With qualifying just hours away, the close margins and varying performances in FP3 suggest a thrilling battle for pole position. The incidents involving Hamilton and Tsunoda, combined with Verstappen's handling complaints, could create unexpected challenges for some of the front-runners. All eyes will be on how teams address their issues and if Russell's late pace was a true indication of Mercedes' potential or merely an outlier in a highly competitive session.