Mercedes has given continuity to the Sao Paulo Grand Prix with a double in the first free practice of the weekend in Abu Dhabia session without Spaniards, since both Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Fernando Alonso (Alpine) gave up their seats to test drivers.
The British Lewis Hamilton dominated the training session (1:26.633) ahead of his compatriot and teammate George Russell (1:26.853), the reverse order from last weekend at Interlagos, while the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was third, one position better than the Mexican Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez (Red Bull)with which the runner-up for pilots is played.
Con dry track and sunny weatherthe first session of the last round of the Formula 1 World Championship took place, a Grand Prix in which the single-seaters will roll with the softest range of Pirelli compounds.
In a training with little significance Due to the high temperature on the asphalt (47 degrees), eight non-regular drivers drove in Yas Marina, among them the 37-year-old Polish veteran Robert Kubica, who replaced the Chinese Zhou Guanyu at Alfa Romeo. The New Zealander Liam Lawson (for the Dutchman Max Verstappen in Red Bull), the Russian-Israeli Robert Shwartzman (for Sainz), the Brazilian Pietro Fitipaldi (for Mick Schumacher in Haas), the Australian Jack Doohan (for Alonso), O ‘Ward (by Lando Norris) and American Logan Sargeant, who has a virtual seat at Williams next year (must get Superlicense). Pato had a bad start, his McLaren jerked forward and from the box they asked him to maintain second gear. After going through the garage, he was able to continue.
The two drivers who are playing for the runner-up did not give up their cars in Abu Dhabi, ‘Checo’ Pérez, who set the first reference time on soft (1:27.853) and Charles Leclerc.
Sargeant, who plays in Abu Dhabi, but in F2, the Superlicense to replace Canadian Nicholas Latifi next year, lost control of his car on the home straight, but his Williams suffered little damage beyond the tires.
Pérez made progress with the second set of soft (1:26.967), but so did Leclerc (1:26.888), records that improved the Mercedes of the British George Russell (1:26.853) and Lewis Hamilton (1:26.633). The seven-time world champion began the Grand Prix in which he will try to achieve the victory that is resisting him this season, a date with victory that he has never missed since he arrived in Formula 1 in 2007.
Lawson, on softs, was the fastest (1:27.201) of the rookies, fifth in the session, just over half a second behind Hamilton’s time; Sargeant (1:28.098) was fourteenth, just over two tenths behind Thai Alex Albon, his teammate, Fitipalti finished seventeenth (1:28.204) and O’Ward (1:28.350), eighteenth.
Timetable
.1. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes 1:26.633
.2. George Russell GBR Mercedes 1:26.853
.3. Charles Leclerc MY Ferrari 1:26.888
.4. Sergio Perez MEX Red Bull 1:26:967
.5. Liam Lawson NZL Red Bull 1:27.201
.6. Sebastian Vettel GER Aston Martin 1:27.268
.7. Robert Shwartzman ISR Ferrari 1:27.428
.8. Daniel Ricciardo AUS McLaren 1:27.619
.9. Valtteri Bottas FIN Alfa Romeo 1:27.655
10. Alexander Albon THA Williams 1:27.840
11. Pierre Gasly FRA Alpha Tauri 1:27.845
12. Esteban Ocon FROM Alpine 1:27.891
13. Yuki Tsunoda JPN Alpha Tauri 1:27.991
14. Robert Kubica POL Alfa Romeo 1:28.064
15. Logan Sargeant USA Williams 1:28.098
16. Kevin Magnussen DIN Haas 1:28.142
17. Pietro Fitipaldi BRA Haas 1:28.204
18. Pato O’Ward MEX McLaren 1:28.350
19. Jack Doohan AUS Alpine 1:28.484
20. Felipe Drugovich BRA Aston Martin 1:28.672
