Abu Dhabi, Nov. 18 (BNA): Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes, two ahead of teammate George Russell, in the opening practice session of Formula 1 on Friday at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The Briton, still looking for his first win of the season, covered the 5.2km Yas Marina circuit in 1min 23.633sec on a hot afternoon with Russell 0.220sec slower, Reuters reports.
Charles Leclerc was third in Ferrari, 0.255 seconds slower than Hamilton, ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, who is second overall.
Mercedes heads into Sunday’s final with a spotlight, with Russell taking his first Formula 1 victory a week ago in Brazil.
The win, with Hamilton second, gave the once-dominant former champion his first morale victory of the season.
But the selection order in Friday’s opening session in Abu Dhabi is rarely indicative, with the race starting at dusk and stretching into the night.
The lack of running representation meant teams took the opportunity to give young defenders and reserve drivers some time on the track.
Double world champion Max Verstappen sat out the session as the Dutchman handed his car to Formula 2 racer Liam Lawson.
American Logan Sargeant, who is set to make his Formula 1 debut with Williams next season on the condition that he collects the required points of superiority, has received Canadian Nicholas Latifi’s car.
Mexican IndyCar racer Pato Oward has taken over Lando Norris’ McLaren.
Australian Jack Doohan in the Alps, Robert Schwartzman in a Ferrari, Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovic in an Aston Martin, Robert Kubica in an Alfa Romeo and Pietro Fittipaldi in a Haas were among the eight irregulars who took part in the session.
Lawson was fifth behind Perez’s other Red Bull ahead of Sebastian Vettel in sixth.
The four-time champion calls time on his career after Sunday’s race and television pictures captured an emotional moment between the German and his father before the session in the Aston Martin garage.
Schwartzman finished seventh in Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz ahead of Daniel Ricciardo, driving in his last race for McLaren and possibly in Formula 1.
Valtteri Bottas was ninth for Alfa Romeo ahead of Williams rider Alexander Albon.
The session was pretty much hassle free.
Sargent escaped smoking tires as Drugović in Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin and O’Ward nearly bumped into each other.
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