George Russell dominates FP3 in Abu Dhabi as Max Verstappen grapples with setup woes
- Rob Fleming
- 25 November 2023
In the final free practice session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, George Russell showcased his prowess behind the wheel, clocking an impressive 1:24.418.
The Mercedes driver left no room for doubt, outpacing the McLaren duo, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, to set the stage for an electrifying qualifying session.
While Russell's performance drew admiration, the struggles of reigning world champion Max Verstappen took centre stage. The Red Bull driver grappled with a "jumping" RB19, experiencing a turbulent session that saw him down in sixth place. Verstappen went through four setup changes, expressing dissatisfaction with the balance of his car, which seemed prone to both "bottoming" and "jumping."
In the aftermath of Friday's interrupted running, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz wasted no time immersing themselves in their programs. Sainz, in his rebuilt SF-23, edged out Hamilton by a mere 0.003 seconds. However, their efforts were overshadowed by Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who stormed to a 1:25.4 lap time, leaving half the field in his wake within the opening 10 minutes.
As the session unfolded, Lando Norris emerged as a strong contender, securing the second spot in the early running, closely followed by teammate Piastri. Charles Leclerc, running on medium tires, claimed the fifth position on his first flying lap, although he trailed Perez's soft tire-topped leaderboard time by 0.6 seconds. Sainz slipped to ninth in the rankings.
Despite a moment of unease for Russell, contending with a tailwind at the final corner, he reclaimed the top spot with a blistering 1:25.1 lap time. Verstappen, on the other hand, struggled to find his rhythm and found himself in fifth place after his initial three-lap run, prompting a retreat to the pits.
The final standings of FP3 at the Yas Marina Circuit were a testament to Russell's prowess, with McLaren's Norris and Piastri securing second and third places, respectively. Alexander Albon of Williams and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc completed the top five.
As the teams prepare for the crucial qualifying session, all eyes are on Russell and his Mercedes team, who have set a formidable pace. Verstappen, however, faces a race against time to fine-tune his Red Bull machine and mount a competitive challenge in the upcoming Grand Prix. The stage is set for a thrilling showdown in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: FP3 results
1 George Russell, Mercedes 1:24.418
2 Lando Norris, McLaren +0.095
3 Oscar Piastri, McLaren +0.392
4 Alexander Albon, Williams +0.511
5 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +0.681
6 Max Verstappen, Red Bull +0.735
7 Esteban Ocon, Alpine +0.776
8 Logan Sargeant, Williams +0.787
9 Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri +0.804
10 Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo +0.840
11 Sergio Perez, Red Bull +0.841
12 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes +0.874
13 Pierre Gasly, Alpine +0.885
14 Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +0.925
15 Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +0.987
16 Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo +1.002
17 Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team +1.166
18 Daniel Ricciardo, AlphaTauri +1.179
19 Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team +1.234
20 Carlos Sainz, Ferrari +1.295
