Abu Dhabi – Free Practice 3: Hamilton does not neglect the final rehearsal

After the Vettel-Hamilton exchange yesterday, it was indeed the latter who had the final say, clocking in at 1:37.627 on his second set of ultra-soft tires, the most prominent tire choice in this session. However, the performance should be taken with caution: the day’s heat at Yas Marina does not reflect the conditions of the upcoming qualifying session, which will take place at sunset. This also explains the lack of activity in the first fifteen minutes of this FP3.

Hamilton wants to control everything

In the full 45 minutes, the 2017 world champion once again improved the track record. The shape was indeed on Mercedes team’s side, as Lewis Hamilton was also relentless during the first round of times, with an initial best time of 1:38.159. Valtteri Bottas held his own, matching his teammate in the first laps. He finished second, 273 tenths behind his leader but ahead of the two Ferrari drivers.

Kimi Räikkönen was the faster of the two this time. The Maranello drivers were pushed beyond a half-second gap. Sebastian Vettel appeared less comfortable, with a car “deviating slightly to the left in a straight line,” according to his own opinion via radio. To compensate, the former Red Bull driver attacked the curbs as much as possible, even if it meant exceeding the track limits. Lewis Hamilton even reported that his rival was taking a very wide line in the first corner. It just goes to show that the title race may already be decided, but the competition still remains between the two big players in the paddock!

In the third row, clearly identified, the two Red Bulls find themselves alone in the world. Daniel Ricciardo takes fifth place, two tenths ahead of Max Verstappen. The gap is impressive with the rest of the field, as the first pursuer is only six tenths behind. His identity, that of a double world champion. Sometimes caught in traffic, Fernando Alonso worked hard to secure the honorary position of best of the rest, seventh.

Stoffel Vandoorne confirmed the strong overall performance of a team for a final outing with the Honda engine. The Belgian finished this FP3 just ahead of a fine group. Five drivers within two-tenths of a second, from Pérez (9th) to his teammate, Ocon (13th). Both Force Indias will settle for quality V-Max.

SPEED TRAP: @ForceIndiaF1 = 🚀
#AbuDhabiGP 🇦🇪 #F1Finale #FP3 pic.twitter.com/wwT8bYEe6B

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 25, 2017

Will the bottom of the table find the light again?

Among the less prominent teams, three find themselves trailing in the standings: Haas, Toro Rosso, and Sauber. After a difficult Friday, Romain Grosjean did not hide his dissatisfaction, telling his engineer he “learned nothing from this session”! On the Faenza team’s side, more penalties once again. Brendon Hartley will incur a 10-place penalty for a change of the MGU-H. This is already the ninth one on this STR-12, much to the chagrin of the New Zealander who has always moved back on the grid since his arrival in Austin four races ago. Pierre Gasly will hardly be able to counterbalance the team’s poor findings, struggling with setup issues.

Lance Stroll experienced a delayed start. Like his fellow participants, the Canadian was even hindered by a Virtual Safety Car, prompted by the appearance of… an umbrella, which fell right in the middle of the track! A quirky image of this flying (un)identified object, already evokes thoughts of vacation. But before that, it’s time for the final qualifying session, scheduled for 2 PM, Paris time.

#F1 – Here are the full results of the Free Practice Session 3 #AbuDhabiGP 🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/HfkKxF7swR

— FIA (@fia) 25 novembre 2017