ABU DHABI: Double world champion Max Verstappen put Red Bull at the top of the time sheets in the final Formula One Friday practice of the year at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Dutchman, who had handed his car to Red Bull reserve Liam Lawson during Friday afternoon’s opening hour of running, lapped the 5.2-km long Yas Marina track in one minute 25.146 seconds.

George Russell, who took his maiden Formula One win ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes one-two last week in Brazil, was second 0.341 seconds adrift, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc third.

Verstappen, who wrapped up a second title with four races to spare at the Japanese Grand Prix last month, heads into the weekend hunting for a record-extending 15th victory of the season at the track where he clinched his first title with a controversial win last year.

Hamilton, in his resurgent Mercedes meanwhile, is hunting for his first triumph of the year, with Sunday’s race his last chance to keep his record of winning a grand prix in every season intact.

The Briton had led the opening hour of practice in a Mercedes one-two from Russell but fell to fourth under the floodlights, 0.615 seconds off Verstappen’s pace.

Mexican Sergio Perez, level on points with Ferrari’s Leclerc in their battle for second in the overall standings, was fifth in his Red Bull ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Frenchman Esteban Ocon led Alpine team mate Fernando Alonso in seventh with McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas rounding out the top ten.

Sebastian Vettel ended his final session of Friday practice in 12th for Aston Martin.

The four-time champion is calling time on his career after Sunday’s race and TV pictures captured an emotional moment between the German and his father ahead of the session in the Aston Martin garage, which was decked out with a photo cutout of a young Vettel and his karting overalls.

A number of teams ran their junior and reserve drivers during the first session of practice.

American Formula Two racer Logan Sargeant, who is set to make his Formula One debut with Williams as a replacement for Nicholas Latifi next year provided he accumulates the required superlicense points, took over the Canadian’s car.

Australian Jack Doohan slotted in at Alpine, Formula Two champion Felipe Drugovich took over Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, while Mexican IndyCar racer Pato O’Ward got behind the wheel at McLaren.

Friday’s running was largely incident free.

Vettel locked up and ran wide onto the run off in the second session. Drugovich and O’Ward nearly tripped over each other at the end of the first session, while Sargeant survived a spin.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2022