George Russell Stuns in F1 Title Shakeup; Hamilton Crashes in Final Practice
In a thrilling conclusion to the final practice session ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, George Russell achieved a stunning result by topping the timesheets. The Mercedes driver clocked a remarkable 1:23.334 on soft tyres, narrowly edging out Lando Norris by just 0.004 seconds.
Key Highlights from the Final Practice Session
- Date: Season finale held on the day before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
- Top Performers:
- George Russell – 1:23.334
- Lando Norris – 1:23.338
- Max Verstappen – 1:24.116
- Fernando Alonso – Fourth place
- Oscar Piastri – Fifth place
- Incident: Lewis Hamilton experienced a serious crash at Turn 9, leading to a 15-minute suspension of the session.
- Response: Hamilton reported a “buckled” issue prior to losing control, but managed to exit his Ferrari unharmed.
- Session Resumption: After the incident, 17 minutes remained for drivers to improve their times. Russell ultimately seized the opportunity.
Controversies and Investigations
During the session, Yuki Tsunoda faced scrutiny for an incident at Turn 11 and has been called to the stewards. Additionally, Alex Albon will be reviewed for an unsafe release during pit stops. Kimi Antonelli, Russell’s teammate, is also under potential penalty for a collision with Tsunoda in the pit lane.
Looking Forward to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
As the teams prepare for qualifying, Russell’s performance has put him in a strong position, especially with the title contenders sent into a spin by Hamilton’s crash. The qualifying session is set for 14:00 GMT (17:00 local time), heightening anticipation as drivers aim for the championship.
