Abu Dhabi, Dec 10 (BUS): Lewis Hamilton rebounded in the fading light to dominate the second practice of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, after title rival Max Verstappen topped the previous schedules.
And the German news agency (dpa) said Hamilton, the defending champion and seven-time champion, clocked one minute and 23.691 seconds on the 5.281 kilometer Yas Marina track.
He was followed by Alfie Toure’s Esteban Ocon and Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull’s Verstappen’s fourth with 0.641 of the second full-back.
Verstappen, who led the first session from Bottas and Hamilton, looked good at simulating race speed with more fuel under the floodlights – but so did Mercedes.
Verstappen and Hamilton are tied on points at the top of the standings after 21 races in a dramatic duel for the title, with Verstappen nominally ahead due to one more race win.
Hamilton is chasing a record eighth title to go one ahead of Michael Schumacher, winning five times in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen, last year’s winner at Yas Marina Circuit, is leading the bid for his first world championship for himself and his team’s first since 2013.
Mercedes has swept the hybrid era since 2014, and Hamilton only lost once to his former teammate Nico Rosberg in 2016.
Mercedes has also won all constructors’ titles in this period and is currently 28 points ahead of Red Bull.
Finnish veteran Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen raced out in the first session but crashed into a wall hard at the end of the second in the final of his Grand Prix career at the weekend. The team said it was fine but the car was badly damaged.
2007 world champion Raikkonen will end his career after two decades on Sunday.
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