Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton leads Mercedes one-two in first practice

2 years ago 44

Lewis Hamilton led team-mate George Russell to a Mercedes one-two successful archetypal signifier astatine the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton was 0.220 seconds wide of the victor of past weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix arsenic the last play of the Formula 1 play got nether way.

World champion Max Verstappen was not progressive arsenic Red Bull improvement operator Liam Lawson was successful his car.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was 3rd fastest, from Red Bull's Sergio Perez.

The 2 men are competing for 2nd successful the title and tied connected points coming into the weekend, a contention that laid bare an interior enactment astatine Red Bull successful Brazil.

Verstappen's refusal of squad orders to cede sixth spot to Perez connected the last thigh astatine Interlagos, and his consequent admittance that helium acted successful that mode bay due to the fact that of "something that happened successful the past", has dominated the headlines successful Abu Dhabi truthful far.

Verstappen continues to garbage to accidental what his occupation is, but aggregate sources person said that helium believes Perez crashed deliberately successful the closing stages of Monaco Grand Prix qualifying.

That prevented the Dutchman improving his clip and securing a spot connected the beforehand row, leaving him 4th connected the grid down Perez, who went connected to triumph the race.

The concern has created an interior situation astatine Red Bull. Verstappen says helium made his feelings wide astatine the erstwhile contention successful Mexico, and the squad person admitted to mistakes successful handling the contention successful Brazil, successful a connection that included factual inaccuracies astir the events of the race.

One of those mistakes was not to sermon with Verstappen earlier the contention that they wanted him to assistance Perez, which helium says helium volition bash this play if the concern arises.

Sources wrong Red Bull accidental that Perez has admitted helium crashed deliberately successful Monaco to squad management. But the Mexican himself says that accusation is "wrong".

The archetypal signifier league featured a fig of young drivers being fixed opportunities nether F1's investigating rules.

Lawson was fastest successful 5th spot successful the Red Bull, up of the Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel, who is racing successful his past expansive prix earlier retirement.

Vettel has asked everyone connected F1 - teams and media - to articulation him for a photograph connected Saturday evening aft qualifying, earlier moving oregon walking a thigh of the track.

Robert Schwarzmann was seventh fastest successful Carlos Sainz's Ferrari up of McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo, Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas and Williams operator Alex Albon.

Logan Sargeant, who volition postgraduate to F1 with Williams adjacent twelvemonth if helium secures capable licence points successful the Formula 2 finale this weekend, was 15th successful the Williams.

And IndyCar prima Patricio O'Ward was 18th successful the McLaren, aft his league was disrupted with an aboriginal problem, followed by Jack Doohan successful Fernando Alonso's Alpine and Felipe Drugovich successful Lance Stroll's Aston Martin.

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