Vettel fastest in Abu Dhabi FP1
Sebastian Vettel topped the times in a close first free practice session ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Vettel set his best time, a 1m39.006s lap around the Yas Marina Circuit, in the closing stages of the 90 minute session to beat Lewis Hamilton by a tenth of a second.
With Max Verstappen not far behind the leading pair, FP1 suggests a close battle to end the 2017 Formula 1 season, but conditions in the session were not representative of those in qualifying and the race, which take place much later in the day.
After some early aero testing, Kimi Raikkonen set the pace in the first half hour of the session, but was then pushed down the order by Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. He later improved to go fourth quickest, behind Verstappen but ahead of Bottas.
Though McLaren didn’t appear to bring any major updates to the circuit, Fernando Alonso spent the first half of the session running tests, and didn’t set a lap time until late in the day. He immediately jumped up to ninth, and later improved to seventh, just behind Force India’s Sergio Perez.
Stoffel Vandoorne, Felipe Massa, and Daniel Ricciardo completed the top 10.
George Russell, running in the second Force India, was one of a number of drivers to lose the back end of his car during the session. Only moments after Antonio Giovinazzi in the Haas span at turn 17, Russell had a small moment in the same place. Both managed to keep going, and Russell finished the session 11th quickest.
Romain Grosjean also span. After losing control of the car just before the apex of turn 19, the Haas driver touched the barriers at the exit to the corner. With damage to the car, he returned to the pits, ending the session 12th.
Lance Stroll and Pierre Gasly took 13th and 14th, ahead of Carlos Sainz, who didn’t set a competitive lap on the ultra-soft compound of tyre. Team-mate Nico Hulkenberg could only manage 17th fastest, behind Pascal Wehrlein, after a spin at the chicane.
Giovinazzi, Marcus Ericsson, and Brendon Hartley rounded out the order.