Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Sebastian Vettel tops the timesheets in P1

Formula 1

Fri November 24, 2017 · 7y ago

Sebastian Vettel picked up where he left off in Brazil to edge out world champion Lewis Hamilton in opening practice for the final race of the year in Abu Dhabi.

Vettel ended a seven-race winless streak at Interlagos a fortnight ago, and he would appear in contention to end the season with successive victories after soaring to the top of the time sheets.

The Ferrari driver posted a best lap of one minute and 39.006 seconds to finish clear of Hamilton with Red Bull's Max Verstappen in third.

Hamilton and Verstappen were one tenth-of-a-second adrift of Vettel at the Yas Marina circuit, with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen 0.512 sec behind in fourth and Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas fifth.

Both Vettel, who needs to finish only eighth to seal the runner-up spot in this year's title race, and Hamilton have won on three occasions in Abu Dhabi, and started from pole position three times, too, and the pair look set to dominate here once more. Verstappen, who has enjoyed a strong second half of a season that has included two wins, is poised to keep them both on their toes.

British driver George Russell, 19, was handed his second practice run-out in as many grands prix by Force India, and he finished 11th - 2.1 sec off Vettel and within one second of Sergio Perez in the sister car.

The Mercedes junior, who won the GP3 championship with a round to spare, is set to make the step up to Formula Two next season, and is also in the running for the reserve drive with the British-based Force India team.

Perez finished sixth in the order ahead of the McLaren duo of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, while Daniel Ricciardo was 10th for Red Bull.

Felipe Massa, who will start the 269th and final race of his Formula One career on Sunday ahead of his impending retirement, posted the ninth best time.