Abu Dhabi GP: Lewis Hamilton fastest in practice after Max Verstappen's early pace
Dec 10, 2021
Abu Dhabi [UAE], December 10 : Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton topped FP1 and FP2 respectively in the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the heavily revised Yas Marina Circuit on Friday.
The Red Bull driver enjoyed the early edge over Hamilton on Formula 1's most dramatic race weekend in living memory, as he topped first practice.
In the FP1, Verstappen clocked a 1m25.009s on the soft tyres, two tenths clear of Valtteri Bottas, with Hamilton - whom he is level on Driver World Championship points - 0.346s off the pace in third, a fraction ahead of Sergio Perez, as the top two teams in the constructors' championship locked out the top four.
The second practice session was dominated by the Mercedes as Hamilton set the fastest time while the Dutchman was fourth for Red Bull.
The Briton set the FP2 benchmark of 1m23.691s -- which was also the fastest time of the day -- under the floodlights on soft tyres, with 25 minutes remaining, then switched to mediums for his race simulation.
That put Alpine's Esteban Ocon, who had shot up with a lap of 1m24.034s just before seven-time world champion, in second place by 0.343s - and Hamilton's team mate Valtteri Bottas third overall by a gap of 0.392s having previously drifted into the Turn 12 barriers on his medium-tyred laps. That slide saw him switch to soft tyres after just 15 minutes of the session.
Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen, 16th, tainted his final F1 Friday practice of the year by spinning and crashing at Turn 14 in FP2. He incurred heavy damage and a red flag was shown just after the chequered flag had flown.
