George Russell claimed the fastest time in the final practice session of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in a tightly matched top three. Ferrari faced more difficulties, capped off by Lewis Hamilton’s heavy crash.
The last FP3 session of the season wrapped up at Yas Marina, a crucial moment in a championship that still has no confirmed winner. Friday’s sessions suggested that McLaren held a slight edge over Max Verstappen and Red Bull. Oscar Piastri had a more complicated start to the weekend after giving up his seat to Pato O’Ward for rookie running in FP1, leaving him with reduced time to prepare for the race.
Norris once again proved to be the driver most comfortable around the circuit, taking full advantage of a McLaren MCL39 that continues to shine through the corners. The car benefits from impressive aerodynamic load that enhances cornering performance, while also delivering solid straight-line speed and traction. The race-run analysis confirmed Norris as the most competitive driver of the session, while Piastri remained further back due to fewer laps completed. Red Bull, meanwhile, arrived in Abu Dhabi with a lower-downforce setup, aiming to gain top speed at the expense of corner performance. As is often the case on Fridays, the team encountered some difficulties and had to work overnight to refine the setup.
First half hour
FP3 takes place in different track conditions compared to qualifying and the race, but teams still treat the session as essential for confirming improvements made during the overnight setup work. The early minutes saw very little activity due to the extremely high track temperatures, conditions that will not be present later in qualifying and the Grand Prix.
Fifteen minutes into the session, the first timed laps appeared on the soft tyres, with Norris immediately jumping to the top. Teams followed different approaches, running on various compounds. The opening half-hour ended with limited action, but Max Verstappen took the lead on a soft-tyre run, followed by Lance Stroll and Hamilton.
Second half hour
The second part of the session began with a major error from Lewis Hamilton, who lost control of the SF-25 and hit the wall, bringing out the red flag.
Once the session resumed with fifteen minutes to go, teams dedicated the remaining time to final qualifying and race simulations. Max Verstappen improved, but Piastri responded immediately, jumping ahead of him. Norris then completed his lap and moved to the top of the standings. Nico Hülkenberg and Liam Lawson slotted in behind the two McLarens, with all drivers improving as the track evolved rapidly. After the final timed runs, the classification showed Russell first, followed by Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri.
The session ended without offering clear indications. The unusual track conditions affected and reshaped the teams’ run plans, meaning only qualifying will reveal the true competitive order. Red Bull seems to have made progress, putting pressure on McLaren, which nevertheless remains the team to beat. Ferrari’s struggles continued: after a difficult Friday, Lewis Hamilton’s crash only deepened the team’s problems. All attention now turns to 3 PM, when the final qualifying session of the season begins.
FP3 times
1 George Russell (Mercedes) 1m23.334s
2 Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.004s
3 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.124s
4 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +0.251s
5 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.259s
6 Esteban Ocon (Haas) +0.271s
7 Ollie Bearman (Haas) +0.275s
8 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.341s
9 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.373s
10 Alex Albon (Williams) +0.388s
11 Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) +0.457s
12 Carlos Sainz (Williams) +0.477s
13 Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) +0.536s
14 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.561s
15 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +0.613s
16 Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +0.645s
17 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +0.738s
18 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +1.136s
19 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1.167s
20 Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) +1.359s
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