---
title: "Albon tops tricky F2 practice in Abu Dhabi"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/11/24/albon-tops-tricky-f2-practice-abu-dhabi/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Kyran Gibbons"
section: "Formula 2"
published: "2017-11-24T08:39:30Z"
modified: "2017-11-24T08:43:33Z"
---

# Albon tops tricky F2 practice in Abu Dhabi

ART’s Alexander Albon topped the timesheet in Formula 2 practice ahead of the final round of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Grip was low throughout the session and drivers struggled to string all three sectors together. Traffic also proved problematic, particularly through the technical third sector as several drivers were blocked by rivals.

Albon posted the best time of the first runs before being eclipsed by Norman Nato. He led the timesheet with 15 minutes of the session completed.

Albon then improved his time to a 1m48.974 which eventually proved to be the fastest time in practice. Nato was just over one tenth adrift of Albon’s benchmark in second.

Nyck de Vries ended the session third, while Albon’s team-mate Nobuharu Matsushita finished fourth to cap a promising session for ART.

With the team’s title honours to be contested by Prema, DAMS and Russian Time this weekend, Prema’s Antonio Fuoco was the fastest driver of the three outfits. He finished fifth, closely followed on the timesheet by DAMS’ Oliver Rowland.

Rowland, who is aiming to secure second place in the championship this weekend, edged out his rival Artem Markelov. Both had their first runs in the session compromised by traffic.

Rowland was blocked by Roberto Merhi’s Rapax at Turn 6, while Markelov’s line through the final corner was hindered by F2 rookie Lando Norris.

After claiming the European F3 title this season and finishing second at last weekend’s Macau GP, Norris makes his F2 debut with Campos this weekend. He finished his first session in the series 19th on the timesheet.

Having been crowned drivers’ champion at the last round in Jerez, Charles Leclerc had an anonymous session and finished ninth.