FP3: Oscar Piastri sets pace in final Abu Dhabi Grand Prix practice session
McLaren at the forefront with a remarkable one-two finish.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was quicker than teammate Lando Norris in the final practice at Abu Dhabi.
Rookie Oscar Piastri surged to the top of the leaderboard during the final practice session (FP3) before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, placing McLaren at the forefront with a remarkable one-two finish. Lando Norris followed close behind his teammate, reinforcing McLaren's ambitious bid to clinch the constructors’ championship in Sunday's main event.
As the third practice kicked off at 1430 local time under the desert sun, drivers took to the track to refine their setups before the all-important qualifying round. An optimistic Fernando Alonso was among the first to rev his engine, confidently stating over the radio, “I think it’s going to be a good day.”
The session presented Jack Doohan, another Australian talent, with a challenging moment, as he navigated a rear grip issue through the last turn. Nonetheless, it wasn't enough to hinder his performance as he clocked in faster than his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly in their initial stints.
At the halfway mark, Kevin Magnussen claimed the top spot with a commendable lap time of 1m 24.470s, signifying his last outing with Haas. Meanwhile, George Russell voiced his puzzlement about the performance of his Mercedes, reporting to his team, “Not sure what’s going on – [the] car feels okay, just slow.”
The session was not without its dramas, as hints of smoke were spotted billowing from Carlos Sainz's Ferrari. The Scuderia already had a setback with Charles Leclerc incurring a 10-place grid penalty, following the fitting of a new energy store. After a pit visit, Sainz managed to jump to second quickest, yet Magnussen's time remained unbeaten.
Ultimately, soft tyre strategies prevailed and Alex Albon edged ahead, only to be ousted by the swift McLarens. Piastri's stunning lap of 1m 23.433s positioned him ahead of Norris by a fine margin of 0.193s. Mercedes’ heavyweight Lewis Hamilton only managed to chase the McLaren pair, lodging himself into third.
Pursuing the leaders were notable names with Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, and George Russell clinching fourth, fifth, and sixth places respectively. Haas continued to turn heads, as Nico Hulkenberg and Magnussen claimed the midfield spots, with both Ferrari's Leclerc and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez rounding out the top ten.
The lower half of the standings saw Yuki Tsunoda take P11, followed by Williams, Alpine, and again Alonso, who managed to take 15th. Valtteri Bottas, on his farewell weekend with Kick Sauber, settled for 16th.
It was P17 for Liam Lawson of Red Bull, while P18 and P19 were claimed by Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu, respectively. Williams’ Franco Colapinto concluded the lineup.
Teams and drivers now pivot towards qualifying, scheduled at 1800 local time. They return to the pits to digest the data from FP3, all with the common goal of securing the most advantageous grid positions for the season's thrilling finale.
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