Max sixth in final practice Abu Dhabi

Published on 25 November 2017 by Mike Motilall

Max Verstappen came in sixth fastest at the third and final free practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen lapped the track fourteen times and was with a 1:38.587 nine tenths of a second behind the fastest man Lewis Hamilton. Valtteri Bottas came in second, behind his Mercedes team mate, while Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel finished third and fourth in their Ferrari’s.

With a pleasant temperature of about 25 degrees, the third free practice gets underway on the 5,554 kilometre long Yas Marina Circuit. Max Verstappen starts off with the soft compound tyre and does one installation lap. Stoffel Vandoorne is the first to get a timed lap. After that it is Kimi Raikkonen who’s the first driver to get under the one minute 39 mark. Lewis Hamilton manages to better the time the Fin pulled out by driving a 1:38.159.

Verstappen remains for quite a while in the pits, before heading out on track with some 40 minutes left to go. On the ultra softs the Dutchman does a 1:39.441, good enough for the fifth place at that moment. Not much later, a peculiar incident takes place. An umbrella has been blown on to the track and a virtual safety car is required to get ‘the thing’ removed.

When the track has been cleared again, Max is able to better his time to a 1:39.381, putting him sixth. At that moment, Vandoorne spins off course at turn 20 but is able to continue on.

While Verstappen remains in the pits, Raikkonen snatches first place from Hamilton by bettering his time by two thousandths of a second. Hamilton in turn is half a second faster and with a 1:37.627 gets a new track record.

With still fifteen minutes remaining on the clock, Verstappen gets out on track again. Once again on the ultra-soft, the Red Bull Racing-driver does a 1:39.587, putting him P5. After a short visit to the pits, Max heads out again for a practice start. After that the session is terminated.

Hamilton ends the third free practice session as the fastest one on track, followed by Mercedes-team mate Bottas. Ferrari running Raikkonen and Vettel finish in third and fourth. Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen come in their Red Bull Racing RB13 fifth and sixth fastest.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit - Saturday 25 November

RESULTS FINAL PRACTICE

01 44 Lewis Hamilton      Mercedes                    1:37.627          18
02 77 Valtteri Bottas     Mercedes                    1:37.900 +0.273s  20
03  7 Kimi Raikkonen      Ferrari                     1:38.157 +0.530s  21
04  5 Sebastian Vettel    Ferrari                     1:38.174 +0.547s  21
05  3 Daniel Ricciardo    Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer   1:38.340 +0.713s  15
06 33 Max Verstappen      Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer   1:38.587 +0.960s  13
07 14 Fernando Alonso     McLaren Honda               1:39.155 +1.528s  14
08  2 Stoffel Vandoorne   McLaren Honda               1:39.277 +1.650s  17
09 55 Carlos Sainz        Renault                     1:39.340 +1.713s  14
10 11 Sergio Perez        Force India Mercedes        1:39.367 +1.740s  18
11 19 Felipe Massa        Williams Mercedes           1:39.383 +1.756s  15
12 27 Nico Hulkenberg     Renault                     1:39.396 +1.769s  17
13 31 Esteban Ocon        Force India Mercedes        1:39.500 +1.873s  17
14 20 Kevin Magnussen     Haas Ferrari                1:39.831 +2.204s  18
15  8 Romain Grosjean     Haas Ferrari                1:40.079 +2.452s  18
16 94 Pascal Wehrlein     Sauber Ferrari              1:40.307 +2.680s  19
17 18 Lance Stroll        Williams Mercedes           1:40.572 +2.945s  15
18 10 Pierre Gasly        Toro Rosso                  1:40.737 +3.110s  20
19  9 Marcus Ericsson     Sauber Ferrari              1:40.789 +3.162s  20
20 28 Brendon Hartley     Toro Rosso                  1:40.883 +3.256s  22

Abu Dhabi GP contest: win a Max Verstappen/Red Bull Racing jacket!