McLaren continued to reign dominance at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Oscar Piastri led his teammate Lando Norris in FP3, with F1 capping off the final practice for the season.
The impressive showing from McLaren not only highlighted their dominance throughout the weekend but also set the stage for a thrilling qualifying session later in the day.
Oscar Piastri delivered a stellar performance in the third and final practice session for the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing the top spot with a time of 1:23.433, just ahead of his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who finished second, 0.193 seconds behind.
As the teams prepared for the crucial session, the atmosphere at Yas Marina Circuit was charged with anticipation especially as McLaren aimed to clinch their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998.
The session commenced under sunny and warm conditions, typical conditions at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at this time of year. The drivers took to the track at 14:30 local time, eager to fine-tune their setups ahead of qualifying.
As the pit lane opened, drivers gradually made their way onto the track, with an initial slow start characterizing the early minutes of the session. Notably, Fernando Alonso was among the first to hit the asphalt, expressing optimism over team radio about his prospects for the day.
It took nearly ten minutes before Alpine’s Pierre Gasly posted a competitive time, marking the beginning of a flurry of activity on track.
As the session progressed into its second quarter, Gasly’s new teammate Jack Doohan who’s set to make his F1 race debut on Sunday quickly improved upon the Frenchman’s time setting a benchmark of 1:25.633.
This was soon challenged by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and later by Haas’ Kevin Magnussen who temporarily took over at the front with a time of 1:24.470 as competition heated up with drivers beginning to push their limits on softs.
Lando Norris was among those who quickly found his rhythm, moving into contention as he clocked a time that placed him just behind Magnussen.
However, it was his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri who truly made his mark during the final minutes with a blistering lap that not only eclipsed Magnussen’s best but established him as the driver to beat in final practice for 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
As the clock ticked down towards the final moments of practice, Lewis Hamilton managed to leapfrog Verstappen with a late effort that saw him secure third place overall. His time of 1:23.823 put him firmly in contention but still left him trailing Oscar Piastri by a noticeable margin.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen settled for fourth place after failing to improve on his final run while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz rounded out the top five, indicating that while Ferrari struggled to match McLaren’s pace, they remained competitive within the midfield pack.
Mercedes’ George Russell followed closely in sixth place while Haas drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Magnussen showcased their potential by finishing seventh and eighth respectively.
Charles Leclerc’s dismal ninth place finish added to his nightmares at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as he deals with a ten-place grid penalty due to a new energy store installed on his car earlier in the weekend.
Sergio Perez rounded out the top ten which was somewhat impressive after struggling to make footing on Friday. Yuki Tsunoda took 11th for Visa Cash App RB ahead of his crucial test with Red Bull on Tuesday, while Williams’ Alex Albon and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan took 12th, 13th and 14th.
Fernando Alonso finished in P15 despite looking fairly competitive through the opening two sectors, but he endured a big loss in Sector 3. His team-mate Lance Stroll was 18th fastest, with Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas and RB’s Liam Lawson sandwiching between the two Aston Martins.
Zhou Guanyu was in P19, with Williams’ racer’ Franco Colapinto having brought up the rear of the field.
The final practice session for 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix concluded with Oscar Piastri firmly establishing himself as a favorite heading into qualifying later that day. McLaren’s strong form raise expectations for what could be a historic weekend for the team as they chase their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998.
