Abu Dhabi GP: Perez fastest from Verstappen in FP3
Red Bull pair led the Mercedes pair in FP3 of F1 Abu Dhabi GP as Sergio Perez was fastest from Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
There was some action in FP3 of F1 Abu Dhabi GP at Yas Marina circuit, with Red Bull pair leading the Mercedes pair and McLaren separating them and the Ferrari pair. It was Sergio Perez on top with a 1m24.982s lap from Max Verstappen (1m25.134s).
The Dutchman did a late lap but in qualifying, it would be deleted for track limits. Lewis Hamilton (1m25.222s) was third from George Russell (1m25.395s), with the two running different rear wings. The former is under investigation for not slowing under red flag.
McLaren’s Lando Norris (1m25.518s) slotted in fifth. The Brit had his brakes heated up which was same for teammate Daniel Ricciardo, while Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel having one too. The McLaren led the Ferrari pair who weren’t feeling superb.
Charles Leclerc (1m25.571s) was sixth after his late lap with Carlos Sainz (1m25.605s) just behind him, as Ricciardo (1m25.950s) was eighth from Vettel (1m26.012s) and Williams’ Alexander Albon (1m26.051s), who lost a bit of a car part from the rear on his final lap.
The Alpine pair were 11th and 12th with Esteban Ocon ahead of Fernando Alonso, where the Frenchman caught out the stewards. They raised the yellow flag for him thinking he was stopping but replays showed him just slowing for other cars.
AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda was 13th from Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas, who dropped a bit of a pace in FP3. AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly was 15th after causing a red flag. His wheel cover came off after a kerb ride which needed to be recovered.
The Frenchman managed to return to the track after the mechanics fixed it up. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was 16th from Haas’ Kevin Magnussen & Mick Schumacher, Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu was 19th and Williams’ Nicholas Latifi 20th.
