Russell Outpaces F1 2025 Title Contenders in Thrilling Final Practice Session
In a thrilling final practice session ahead of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, George Russell outpaced his rivals. He secured the fastest lap, finishing with a time of 1m23.334s, narrowly beating championship leader Lando Norris by just 0.004 seconds. Max Verstappen, another title contender, ended the session in third, 0.124 seconds behind Russell.
Key Events from the Final Practice
The session had several notable moments. Initially, it appeared that either Norris or Verstappen would dominate. However, a late surge from Russell changed the outcome dramatically.
- George Russell (Mercedes): 1m23.334s
- Lando Norris (McLaren): +0.004s
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull): +0.124s
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin): +0.251s
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren): +0.259s
Incidents and Performance Issues
One significant incident involved Lewis Hamilton, who crashed at Turn 9 after running wide. This affected his performance, finishing the session in 18th place. His early qualifying attempts had placed him in the top four, but the crash cost him valuable time and track conditions.
Besides Hamilton, other drivers faced challenges as well. Verstappen expressed frustration with his car’s handling, mentioning issues with stability during the session. In the pit area, Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes collided with Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull, leading to both cars sustaining damage. Tsunoda’s incident forced him to remain in the garage, resulting in the slowest lap time.
Top Performers and the Competitive Field
Despite initial struggles, Oscar Piastri found his pace in the latter half of the session, finishing fifth. Meanwhile, impressive performances from Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman placed them sixth and seventh, respectively. Charles Leclerc followed closely in eighth position.
The competitive nature of the session was evident, with only 0.645 seconds separating the top 16 drivers. Below is the ranking of the top 10 times:
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1m23.334s |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.004s |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.124s |
| 4 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.251s |
| 5 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.259s |
| 6 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +0.271s |
| 7 | Ollie Bearman | Haas | +0.275s |
| 8 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.341s |
| 9 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.373s |
| 10 | Alex Albon | Williams | +0.388s |
As the teams prepare for the upcoming race, the competition remains fierce. The final practice session has set the stage for an exciting Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
