Max in P6 after last training in Abu Dhabi

Published on 25 November 2023 by Misha van der Kroon

Max Verstappen finished the third and final free practice session in Abu Dhabi in sixth place. He clocked a time that was more than seven-tenths behind George Russell, who finished the last training session of the season as fastest. The McLaren drivers were also fast in this session: Lando Norris took second place in the session, while Oscar Piastri followed in third. Alexander Albon and Charles Leclerc completed the top five of FP3, where some surprising names were very quick.

Hamilton is the first one to set a time during this third and final free practice session in Abu Dhabi. He clocks a 1:26.612 on the soft tyre. After around fifteen minutes, Max takes to the track to set a fast lap. Meanwhile, his teammate Sergio Perez is at the top of the times list by a quite big margin. With a 1:25.163 he is more than four tenths faster than Norris in second position. Russell takes the fastest time again, while Max follows in P3, almost half a second slower than the Brit. Verstappen informs his team over the on-board radio that the rear is sliding quite a bit, and he comes back to the garages. His second fast lap puts him in second place, after George Russell. The Dutchman mainly loses time in the last sector. Halfway through the training, the top five looks as follows: Russell, Verstappen, Piastri, Perez and Stroll.

The last half of the training is mainly devoted to the long runs. Russell improves his time, while both Williams drivers also manage to secure a spot in the top five. Alexander Albon takes P2, and Logan Sargeant takes P5. Norris comes close to the fastest time, but has to give in nine hundredths to the Mercedes driver. Verstappen has fallen back to tenth place. The reigning World Champion is not happy with the car. He reports that he has no balance, and that the car is scraping on the ground.

During the last minutes of this practice session, Verstappen puts a new set of soft tyres on his car. However, he is unable to set the fastest time. He clocks a 1:25.153, which is good enough for a sixth place, more than seven tenths slower than the number one of this session. Teammate Perez fails to get into the top ten and has to settle for eleventh place. Russell ends the final training of the season as fastest, followed by the McLaren duo: Norris and Piastri. Albon and Leclerc complete the top five in Abu Dhabi.

Contest GP Abu Dhabi: win a by Max Verstappen signed Verstappen.com Racing cap!

Results third free practice Abu-dhabi: